L. Brooks Patterson
L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland's elected leader since 1992, has career-ending news.
The 80-year-old county executive and former prosecutor was diagnosed 11 days ago with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer -- the most serious level of that life-threatening disease.
L. Brooks Patterson: "Alex Trebek has nothing on me." (Screen shot: "Michigan Matters," CBS Detroit)
"There’s an 11 percent chance you can walk away, and I intend to be a part of that 11 percent," he tells a news briefing Tuesday afternoon at his Waterford Township office, Kathy Gray writes at the Detroit Free Press.
He's being treated at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit.
"This is not a good-bye. This is just an announcement of a shitty deck of cards dealt me, that I intend to play out.
"I have every intention of coming back and finishing out the term [through next year] . . . God willing and the creek don’t rise."
Patterson at times fought back tears, as he met the eyes of family members, colleagues and friends in the audience.
He was elected in 2016 for a seventh time, and earlier served 16 years as county prosecutor.
"Alex Trebek has nothing on me," Patterson said, announcing he was diagnosed on March 15, . . . a little more than a week after the famed 'Jeopardy' host revealed he had pancreatic cancer.
"I'm in treatment now. I will continue in treatment until my oncologist says I'm free to go," Patterson said.
The Republican politician, who grew up in Detroit's Rosedale Park area, graduated from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy in 1957. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Detroit, as well as a law degree there in 1967.
Earlier health problems include two operations to place stents to control blood flow. In August 2012, Patterson was seriously injured as the passenger in a car crash that left him hospitalized for a month. He still uses a wheelchair -- as he did Tuesday afternoon -- because of the accident, which paralyzed his driver.
Now he plans a trip April 6 to an undisclosed location "so you won't bug me," he tells journalists. Patterson's spirit also is evident as cameras and recorders are turned off, a Freep writer tweets:
Minutes after announcing he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson is telling jokes to his news conference audience.
— Jim Schaefer (@DetroitReporter) March 26, 2019
