A student at Warren East High School has found a special friend in his Student Resource Officer to help him through a difficult time.

Zach Smith collapsed in the hallway of school back in 2010, and the last thing he remembers is someone calling Deputy Mike Waldrop to his side.

Deputy Waldrop has been in law enforcement for more than 20 years, and has worked at Warren East for the last two years.

Smith was diagnosed with Juvenile Astrocytoma, or brain cancer, and Deputy Waldop set out to make sure that Smith had everything he needed.

Deputy Waldrop had Smith's family sponsored through the Kentucky Association of School Resource Officers, which helped provide a Christmas to Zach and his family, who were facing tough times.

In addition to Christmas, Deputy Waldrop has provided transportation, food, and clothing for Smith when it was needed.

Other students at the school, like Shana Pulley, know that they can count on Deputy Waldrop to be there for them as well, "I know that people can go to him without a hesitation."

Smith is just grateful and amazed to have a friend like Deputy Waldrop to look after him:

"Just everything that he has done with him not knowing me very much at all."

For serving the students of Warren East High School, we honor Deputy Mike Waldrop as a Hometown Hero.