Together

MEET AMANDA

On October 9th, 2019, Amanda Farinella was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer with metastasizes to the spine, ribs, vertebrae, lymph nodes, and liver. She is a loving wife to her husband, Joe Farinella, who is a deputy for Tipton County Sheriff’s Department. She is an amazing mother to two daughters (3rd and 5th grade), and a fur-momma to their retired police K9 Aik. Amanda is known by others to be sweet, caring, and hard-working.

RAISING HELP ON REMEMBRANCE DAY

On March 7th, 2020, we hosted the 2nd Annual Deputy Jacob Pickett Remembrance Day as a fundraiser for the Farinella family. The Jacob Pickett Response Organization donated money raised to help cover medication costs, cancer treatments, and any ancillary services she and her family needed along this journey.

On April 27, 2022 at approximately 11:30 P.M. our lives changed, not in a good way but in a way that was not foreseen and heartbreaking.

My wife, Dai’Chelle was pregnant with our first child! We were over the hills with excitement. A son! I felt as if I was given the chance to be the father mine was never to me. We agreed not to make him a junior but to name him Camden Gordon Thomas. Camden had the same middle and last name as me, but his first name, that was all for him. For him to find out who he wanted to be.

I was looking forward to seeing my son grow and excel in life. I know the dangers of this life, and yes I think it’s fair to say that Dai’Chelle and I were a little nervous about bringing Camden into such a dangerous world. However, with time we continued to put our faith in God and that fear subsided. I read once in a “new father to be” book that Dai’Chelle purchased for me, that mothers become mothers the moment they find out they are pregnant. That was totally the case for my wife! She began taking vitamins, watching what she ate, and purchasing countless of toys for Camden. At one point I had to tell her to slow down! I look back on how wonderful Dai’Chelle was and how excited she was to become a mom. The mere thought brings me so much joy. I recall telling many of my work brothers that Dai’Chelle was pregnant. One of my work brothers was a groomsman in our wedding. He was able to tell me that he and his wife were also pregnant. We later found out that two more couples in our group of friends were also expecting their first child. We were all full with joy for becoming fathers together. I am a police officer and my wife a registered nurse, so the people we work with become more like family to us.

Months went by and we continued to prepare for Camden’s arrival. We decided to go with the Thomas the Train theme, so almost everything in Camden’s room was either train related or blue. I decided to test my creativity and do an angled board and baton design in his bedroom. Everything was going great. In fact Dai’Chelle and I had just been to the doctor’s office a week before the dreadful April 27th date. The doctor told us countless times that everything was just fine and that this was a “textbook” pregnancy. The thought of Camden not being with us in just two more months was the furthest thing from our minds.

April 27th started out as any other day. Dai’Chelle left the house first to head into work and kissed me goodbye as she always does. I go back to sleep for a couple more hours before waking up and getting my day started and going to work myself. After work I managed to beat Dai’Chelle home. After work, she went out to dinner with her father, who was visiting from out of town. Once she got home we talked for a minute and she told me that Camden had not been kicking or moving as much as he normally does. I did not think anything about it and told her to hop in the shower and relax because he enjoys the warmth from the showers she takes. Dai’Chelle agreed and continued upstairs to get in the shower and relax.

After her shower, she came back downstairs with a worried look on her face. Dai’Chelle told me that she did not feel Camden moving while in the shower. I encouraged her to come sit down and get off her feet. Dai’Chelle agreed. The thought of anything bad happening to Camden was still the furthest thing on my mind. Dai’Chelle said to me that she recalled feeling Camden kicking while she was at work, but that was between the hours of noon and 3:00 P.M. Dai’Chelle and I fell asleep on the couch then she suddenly woke up. Dai’Chelles voice became shaky and she said, “Cameron I still have not felt Camden move, I’m calling the nurse hotline.” We were instructed to go to IU north in Carmel, IN. Once we got there Dai’Chelle was in tears. I remember thinking that there was nothing wrong, he’s going to be okay. We checked into the labor and delivery floor where we were greeted by Nurse Sarah. Dai’Chelle told Sarah exactly what she was feeling. Sarah then connected a heart monitor to Dai’Chelles belly… NOTHING… I, we, heard nothing. Sarah proceeded to place these monitors on Dai’Chelles belly and pressed really hard… still NOTHING… I heard my wife cry out. My heart broke… I was in complete shock. I recall Sarah saying that she needed to go get a doctor. The doctor came into the room and used the ultrasound and there once again… NOTHING… I recall holding Dai’Chelles hand and looking at the ultrasound screen. I still could not believe that our baby boy did not have a heartbeat and that he was not kicking. I was wondering why this lady was pushing so hard on him. I could not believe that we heard… NOTHING.

I informed my Captain that I would not be coming into work the next day. We were sent home that night and told to wait for contractions to begin. We made the proper phone calls to family. Dai’Chelle began to have her contractions and back to IU North we were. Dai’Chelle gave birth to our beautiful baby boy, Camden April 28, 2022 at 6:29 P.M. I’ll never forget the fact that I was still holding out hope however, there still was NOTHING. No cry from Camden, no body movement from Camden, there was nothing but our cries. We got the chance to have Camden with us for a couple of days in a cooling crib. We were very grateful for that opportunity. Once we agreed to let Camden go, we left the hospital. It was so hard leaving him there.

Funeral arrangements were made for our son. One of my work brothers, Reggie Thomas, informed me that he reached out to JPRO and told the organization that Camden was stillborn. I knew that JPRO was an organization that was created in memory of Deputy Jake Pickett from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office. I knew Jake from my time at the Sheriff’s Office as a jail deputy. Jake was killed while I was in the academy, just weeks before I would have been given the opportunity to work the road with him. Later I received a call from Jennifer Pickett, Jakes wife. Jenn informed me that JPRO wanted to help us through this difficult time. When you’re expecting a child the thought of having to bury him never enters your mind. Dai’Chelle and I went from awaiting Camden’s arrival to picking a cemetery, funeral home, and a plot to place our son in.

As I write this I’m still in disbelief, but so grateful for organizations like JPRO and people like Jenn Picket that have the heart like Jake did to help others in their time of need. JPRO helped Dai’Chelle and I lay our son to rest. We are forever grateful and indebted to them for all they’ve done. We cannot say thank you enough for JPRO. Just like Jake became Jenn’s reason why, Camden has now become ours. Once again, thank you Jenn and the JPRO team for helping us in our time of need.