A Blue Family Christmas...Meet our heroes

As Christmas approaches, we ask that you keep the men and women in law enforcement who serve our community in your thoughts and prayers. While preparing for joyous holiday celebrations with your friends and family, it’s important to stop and reflect on the joys and blessings in your own life, while also recalling those who are not as fortunate.  We invite you to join with us in supporting four local law enforcement families who have each had a very difficult year. Between them, these Cobb County law enforcement officers, two of whom have children between 3 months and 6 years of age, have endured life-threatening illnesses, medical procedures, multiple surgeries, cancer treatments and more.  They have suffered time away from work, loss of income, and enormous medical bills, all while struggling to support their families. 

As Christmas approaches, we ask that you keep the men and women in law enforcement who serve our community in your thoughts and prayers. While preparing for joyous holiday celebrations with your friends and family, it’s important to stop and reflect on the joys and blessings in your own life, while also recalling those who are not as fortunate.  We invite you to join with us in supporting four local law enforcement families who have each had a very difficult year. Between them, these Cobb County law enforcement officers, two of whom have children between 3 months and 6 years of age, have endured life-threatening illnesses, medical procedures, multiple surgeries, cancer treatments and more.  They have suffered time away from work, loss of income, and enormous medical bills, all while struggling to support their families. 

Here, you can read about each officer and a little about the medical hardships they have endured this year.  Blue Thanksgiving has created an Amazon wish-list filled with items the children of these families would like for Christmas.  We have also included items from these officers’ and their wives’ “wish lists”;  You can view this list at
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1GI82QC2BY0MA?ref_=wl_share
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To make a financial donation, please use our “Join Us” page at www.bluethanksgiving.com/join-us.html or send a check payable to Blue Thanksgiving to PO Box 5238 Marietta, GA 30061.  Gift cards for Target, Publix, Kroger, Amazon and restaurants can also be mailed to our PO Box.  If you wish for your donation to be directed specifically to one of these families, please make note of that with your donation.  Otherwise, all funds raised will be distributed among the four officers.  If you would like more information, please use our “Join Us” page or email us at [email protected] .  You may also call us at 770-419-4027 with any questions you may have about us or this project.

​​Officer Daniel Hicks
Officer Daniel Hicks, age 29, has been with the Cobb County Police department for 6 years and is stationed at precinct 5.  In February of 2019, a regular doctor visit to monitor his diabetes revealed that Officer Hicks was suffering from kidney disease and that his kidney function was rapidly declining. After a diagnosis of stage 4 renal disease, officer Hicks began dialysis and was placed on a waiting list for both a kidney and a pancreas transplant. On September 22, 2021, Officer Hicks received both kidney and pancreas transplant.  During surgery there were multiple complications and he remains in a physical therapy facility where he is recovering.  He and his wife Brittany have been together 12 years and have a four year old son, Daniel, Jr.

Detective Jame Uzee
Detective Uzee has served Cobb County with the Police Department for 21 years of his nearly 30 years in law enforcement.  On September 28, 2021, he and his family learned that he was suffering from brain cancer (glioblatoma) that required surgical removal. On October 5, he underwent surgery to remove the tumor and on the 22nd he was released from the hospital.  Det. Uzee is now undergoing physical therapy, chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and working toward his healing and recovery.  This treatment is expected to continue for a full year, along with treatments via Optune through Novocure, which provides patients with a 45% chance of extended life.  Detective Uzee’s family is filled with public servants.  His wife Laurie has been working in the Tax Commissioner’s office (tag office) for nearly 15 years.  They have five sons including one who is with the VA, after serving in the Navy, another who is a Lieutenant in the Army, stationed in Houston, a Cobb County Firefighter, and a Specialist in the Army, stationed in Savannah. 
Another MRI is scheduled for Detective Uzee on December 22, to update his status. 

Detective Wade Wagnon
Detective Wagnon has been with the Cobb County Police department for 28 years and is presently serving East Cobb at Precinct Four.  In December 2020, he was diagnosed with “kryptogenic cirrhosis”; a genetic form of liver disease.  A MELD (Model for End stage Liver Disease) score is used to determine if a transplant is needed and when, and Detective Wagnon’s score dictates a transplant will be necessary at some point.  With the possibility of liver cancer a real danger, he is constantly tested to ensure a transplant is not a more immediate necessity.  Detective Wagnon takes numerous medications as a result of his condition to remove excessive ammonia to minimize his suffering.  Officer Wagnon has been married to his wife, Annette (a Cobb 911 dispatcher), for eight years.  They, along with young adult sons Matthew and Zachary, live in Kennesaw.  

​Deputy Sheriff Keith Lundy
Deputy Lundy is with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and lives with his wife and two daughters in Kennesaw.  On July 13, 2021 Lundy’s wife Tameeka went into labor at 28 weeks and prematurely delivered their youngest child Arielle.  The baby remained in Northside Hospital until October 1st when she was finally released to go home.  The same day their newborn came home, their 3-year-old Zariah was sent home early from daycare due to another child testing positive for Covid-19.  By October 3rd, Zariah began showing symptoms and the next day the entire family tested positive for Covid-19.  While everyone recovered, Tameeka worsened and on October 13 was admitted to the hospital.  She remains at Emory University Hospital in stable condition with ECMO machine, a ventilator and other multiple procedures to keep her breathing and stable. 
Deputy Lundy is home caring for their 4-month-old and 3-year-old daughters.  He is now