On August 16, 2015, the Black Diamond Police Department Cmdr. Greg Goral died after a three-year battle with cancer. He was 43 years old.

Cdr. Greg Goral had been a member of the Black Diamond Police Department since 2006. As a commander, his responsibilities included the day-to-day operations of the department including patrol, investigations, and marine services.

Before joining the Black Diamond Police Department Greg served for two years as a police officer with the University of Washington, and spent 10 years as an officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. While serving the residents of Albuquerque, he was awarded a meritorious medal for his actions during an apartment fire.

Prior to becoming a police officer, Goral served for four years in the United States Air Force. Goral, his wife Angel, and daughters Sabrina and Haylee moved to Washington in 2004.

In August 2012 Goral developed a severe pain in his abdomen. After a visit to the emergency room it was determined his appendix needed to come out.  It was after this surgery that the battle began.  Soon after the appendix surgery Goral and his family learned that a small cancerous tumor inside the appendix was the cause for the appendicitis attack.  Goral met with the specialist at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and the University of Washington. They learned that Goral’s cancer was extremely rare, tends to be aggressive and spreads throughout the abdomen.  Doctors recommended a right-hemi colectomy surgery where the right side of his large intestine would be removed. This surgery was completed in November, 2012 and no further cancer was located.  Another surgery was performed in September 2013 to repair some problems with the first surgery and it appeared that Goral was still cancer free.

In the spring of 2014, the cancer returned.  After another surgery in June, 2014, two tumors were found in his abdomen.  These were more advanced and had spread to his lymph-node.  This led to rounds of chemotherapy and radiation.  These treatments did not have the hoped for results and a more aggressive form of treatment was recommended.  Goral was referred to Dr. Lowy, from the Moore’s Cancer Center at the University of California-San Diego. In February of 2015, Dr. Lowy performed the Whipple procedure (pancreatoduodenectomy); a complex operation to remove part of the pancreas, part of the small intestine and the gallbladder. Soon after returning home from California, Greg and has his family learned that the cancer had again spread.