The beloved American judge Frank Caprio rang the bell with great enthusiasm, announcing his recovery from pancreatic cancer just seven months after his diagnosis. Caprio, 87, known for his compassionate videos shared from the courtroom, shared the heartwarming news on Facebook on Friday "in hopes that good days will come."
Caprio posted a video of his celebration, stating, “On my last day of chemotherapy at the Miami Cancer Institute, I had no idea what they had in store for me.” The honorary chief judge initially received treatment in Rhode Island and at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, before seeking treatment in Florida at the recommendation of a friend.
A crowd of hospital staff welcomed Caprio and his family to celebrate with them. The "kind judge" said, "Happy days are back again," as the group sang a song by Ben Selvin and the Crooners from 1930. Caprio's doctor, Dr. Michael Chong, the medical director of photon and proton therapy at the center, joined the celebration.
Dr. Chong told Caprio, "It is our great pleasure to congratulate you on finishing your treatment here at the Miami Cancer Institute (...). We look forward to seeing you at many upcoming follow-ups, and we are excited that hope is alive again and that happy days have returned."
Chong presented Caprio with a gavel, wrapped in a gold ribbon, as the "kind judge" made his way to the "victory bell," saying, "My treatment is over (...) I'm on my way," while ringing the bell amidst loud applause.
In November 2023, Caprio said he had not felt well close to his birthday and, following a medical examination, received the shocking news of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Caprio shared in a video, "The report was not good; I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which is a malignant type of cancer." He added, "I am receiving treatment from a wonderful team of doctors here in Rhode Island and at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, and I pray that God blesses their thoughts and hands on treating me."
Caprio served as the chief judge of the municipal court in Providence, Rhode Island, for nearly four decades until his retirement last year.
