CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. -- A Caroline County sheriff's deputy who dedicated his life to serving others, even in the face of setback after setback, has died. He was 54.
Deputy Doug Jenks worked with new teen drivers to share advice and the dangers of the road.
The law enforcement officer, who also served in the Navy and National Guard, veteran has been dedicating his professional life to assisting friends and strangers alike for nearly 40 years.
The 54-year-old who worked in law enforcement for more than 30 years spoke from experience.
Jenks' son, Logan, was killed in a wreck in April 2020.
“I give that talk to the kids and I tell them that story about my son making a bad decision,” Jenks said in a September interview with Greg McQuade.
The last five years were not been kind to the father of five. Since 2019, he’s lost a son, a grandson, his sister to COVID-19, his step-father to pancreatic cancer, and Doug was diagnosed with Bells Palsy -- a neurological disorder causing paralysis in the face.
Then he faced an uphill battle when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in June 2023.
"(Doctors) gave me a 50/50 chance to get past a year,” Jenks said.
Despite the prognosis, the Navy and National Guard veteran kept working to help teens stay safe on the roads and save lives.
”It is the drive that keeps me coming back,” Jenks said. “I give that talk to the kids and I tell them that story about my son making a bad decision.”
Jenks’ funeral is Thursday in Mechanicsville.
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