Harris County sheriff names teen honorary deputy

HARRIS COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- There's a new sheriff's deputy in Harris County, and he's only 17.

Jaden Carlton was just given his honorary role as deputy by Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

Jaden was diagnosed last June with cardiomyopathy, a hereditary disease that affects the heart. It's a condition he shares with his mother.

Sadly, he has had three major strokes in the past two months, but incredibly, he's fought his way through all of them.

Jaden's family says he is remarkably strong, and is now using a pacemaker to regulate his heart.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says they have embraced Jaden as one of their own, and wanted to keep him encouraged.