Determined Through It All

Bill and Sherry’s Story

Written by: Brandy Chambless (For Sherry Peace)

A saying from a past acquaintance who was dealing with a family tragedy of her own has now come to fruition for Bill and Sherry Peace: “I hope you never know what it feels like to feel this loved.”

In 1999, Bill Peace, a Sgt. with Rome Fire, an EMT with Floyd County, and a police officer with the city of Rome, was diagnosed with a brain tumor, a non-malignant astrocytoma. Following treatment, including surgery which left him paralyzed on his left side, Bill was unable to return to his duties as a firefighter, medic, or police officer. Following that news, Bill, unfortunately, lost all of the certifications to work in these fields that he had worked so hard to gain.

During the next several years, Bill showed a determination that demonstrated his strength of mind, body, and soul, along with his commitment to fields of work to which he was do devoted. Bill began taking his certification courses again, regained his POST Mandate, and in 2007, was hired as PRN by the Cave Springs Police Department as a patrol officer. In addition, Bill enrolled and graduated in the top of his Emergency Medical Technician- Advanced class at GNTC in 2015. He tested and passed his national written and hands on exam and obtained his certification. In 2016, he returned to Floyd EMS as an EMT-A and worked on emergency and non- emergency ambulances.

During this incredible drive to regain these lost certifications, Bill was able to maintain some connection to the work to which he was so dedicated by transferring and working as a senior dispatcher for Floyd County 911. Sadly, Bill was diagnosed again in May of 2018 with an inoperable, grade 4, glioblastoma (GBM) after having symptoms that included slurred speech. During this second diagnosis, Bill kept working as a dispatcher until he went on leave and began treatment that following August at UAB. He underwent treatment there for several weeks.

Tim McGraw proclaims in his song, “Live like you were dying/Like tomorrow was a gift,” and that’s exactly what Bill intends to do, with Sherry by his side.

During this time, Bill and his family, including his wife, Sherry, made sure that they got involved with all kinds of activities that both got them away from the sickness and sadness and literally plunged them into fun and excitement. They went kayaking, scuba diving, and jet skiing in the Florida Keys, along with paddle boarding and also snow skiing in the West Virginia mountains. A famous Tim McGraw song, “Live Like You Were Dying,” became Bill’s mantra during both diagnoses, and he has definitely made good use of the message in this song. They are even planning a family trip to Panama City which include Bill and Sherry, their daughters, Jordan and Jenna, their own families, and also Bill’s 92-year old mother.

One specific trip, a paddle boarding trip with Summit Quest on the beautiful Wax Lake, holds a special place in the hearts of both Bill and Sherry. Sherry commented that this trip was a true “respite” from everything the two of them had been battling. Bill responded that the trip made him feel “free” and gave him time to “[forget] the worries” of the disease and its effect. Sherry continued that Summit Quest is an organization whose members radiate the “power of kindness” and “unconditional love”.

While Bill and Sherry have tried with positive determination to fight this disease head on and enjoy life simultaneously, Bill has recently received yet another piece of unfortunate news. Early this month (September), another tumor was discovered in his frontal lobe. This means that working in conjunction with Dr. Dillmon, his local oncologist, Bill is headed back to UAB for additional radiation.

While this latest set of news is, of course, not the news they wanted to hear, both Bill and Sherry remain strong in what Sherry calls “true, blind faith” and continue to be surrounded by support which comes largely from the Public Safety family to which both Bill and Sherry belong.

Tim McGraw proclaims in his song, “live like you were dying/like tomorrow was a gift,” and that’s exactly what Bill intends to do . . . with Sherry by his side.