Walker Co. Sheriff Back on Job After Bout with Cancer

A North Georgia sheriff is making a miraculous comeback.  Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson is recovering from a rare form of blood cancer called multiple myeloma. 

"I'm doing real well," Wilson says as he sits down.  Those words are welcome news from Wilson, who last fall was diagnosed with cancer but is now back on the job.  "I'm enjoying being back and just feeling good about being back at work."

His first day back was actually a few weeks ago and several of his deputies shaved their heads in solidarity.  The smiles however were few and far between during chemotherapy.  The first fifteen days were the worst.  "We knew that there was going to be vomiting, nausea, lack of appetite and hair loss" says Wilson.  There was all of that.

One of Wilson's last events before chemo was a blood drive.  More than 200 people donated.  Wilson would like to thank each each and every one, he just has to hold off on the hand-shakes and hugs for a while.  "You want to shake a hand, that's what you do," says Wilson, "but the doctor told me not to be shaking hands and not to be in a large group of people for the next month or two."

Instead, he's meeting with small groups including a support group for folks who have gone or are going through multiple myeloma.  He doesn't hide the bad but tries to point out the positive.  "I try to prepare them for what I've been through and tell them just to keep a good attitude about it which is difficult sometimes."

Wilson has been in office for 14 years and overseen several nationally known cases.  And already says he's running again in two years.  In fact, with his current diagnosis, it feels good to plan for the future.  "Hopefully it'll be good news and I'll be good to go for many, many years.  I'm hoping."

Sheriff Wilson is working about six hours a day right now.  He goes back next month for a biopsy but says right now all signs show he is in complete remission.