Troopers in Tucson "Shine Up" to Support Squad Mate

In the spring of 2016, Trooper Mark Torres, assigned to the Nogales squad in Tucson, was diagnosed with cancer. After undergoing a successful operation to remove the cancer, his doctors discovered another cancer in his lymph nodes. Mark immediately began aggressive chemo therapy to battle it.

A squad mate, Trooper Francisco Cervantes, had a particularly enviable head of hair that he was quite proud of. He made the offhand comment that if Mark had to undergo chemo, he would shave his head. 

Ultimately, Francisco made good on his word! As Mark entered his treatment phase and lost his hair, the whole Nogales squad decided they would hold Francisco to his word.

The squad took this deal one step further!

On August 1, 2017, the whole Nogales squad, along with Detective Isaac Fragoso from the Vehicular Theft Unit, Trooper Henry Quihuis from Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, and Trooper Troy Auelua from Metro Central met at Yuyo’s Barbershop in Nogales where all the men had their heads shaved in support of Mark. To show 

his support, the barber did the head shaving free of charge.

In appreciation, Mark said, “Seeing all those matching shaved heads was pretty impressive and humbling at the same time. It showed that we’re more than just a squad of guys that take calls and collisions together. We, in Tuson, are a family; no one faces the tough times in life alone down here.”