TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Just one day after communities across the country joined northwest Ohio in honoring retired Toledo Police Officer, Sergeant Michael Koperski, he lost his battle to an incurable disease.
Officer Koperski died on Saturday morning after fighting Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease, a disease doctors call the human form of Mad Cow Disease.
Chief George Kral released a statement on Saturday afternoon on the tragic loss.
"The entire TPD family is mourning the loss of Sergeant Michael Koperski. He was not only a great sergeant; he was a great father, husband, and friend. The outpouring of support in yesterday's #smilekoperski social media campaign shows how many people Mike touched, not just in the department, but also in this community. We will make sure Mike is never forgotten and will ensure his family is taken care of for years to come."
The day before his death, a Facebook campaign, Make an Office Smile #SmileKoperski, took off.
The campaign went viral and managed to touch the lives of others who never even met Koperski.
The Toledo Police Department announced his death via Facebook Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
