PHOENIX — After a years-long battle with numerous debilitating autoimmune diseases, a former Phoenix Police Department officer has died.
Officer Ben Denham, a 20-year veteran of the department, died Wednesday after a month-long stay in the hospital, according to multiple reports.
ABC15 spoke with Denham in 2016 about his conditions.
He lived with an invisible disease -- an autoimmune disease called systemic sclerosis, which is a rare form of scleroderma. It is incurable and essentially attacks a person's internal organs.
Then he was diagnosed with a new disease: Polymyositis, forcing him to have life-long treatments done every month in order to continue being there for his wife and four children.
“I contribute that treatment to me being able to talk to you," he said back in 2016, after his first round of that monthly treatments. "Because last week I had no voice and three weeks ago I was knocking on death's door.”
Family says he also suffered from Raynaud's disease.
Despite it all, he continued to serve the community.
“I really enjoy police work," Denham told ABC15 nearly seven years ago. "It’s always been a passion."
While living each day with his progressing conditions, he continued working with Phoenix Police Department.
"Ben rarely called out and never complained about his illness," a GoFundMe accountsays. "In fact, most of his coworkers never knew he was fighting for his life for the last 6 years."
More recently, Denham's body stopped responding to his treatments.
"Towards the end of his career, Ben, with the help of his wife, would cover his wounds and help get him dressed each day to continue serving as was his desire," the fundraiser says. "By the grace of God Ben was able to complete his goal of achieving 20 years of public service in November of 2022."
He lost his battle with those diseases on Feb. 8, but his police department family continued to stay by his side.
Video posted on a support Facebook page shows officers lining up and escorting Denham's body, wrapped in an American flag, as he left the hospital for the final time.
Family says Denham leaves behind his wife and four sons. He is preceded in death by three of his sons.
Funeral details have not yet been released.
