VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — An 11-year-old who died while battling cancer in 2024 left such a lasting impression on the Virginia Beach Police Department that the department named a new youth assistance program in his honor.
The program, called LIAM, stands for Local Interventions and Assistance for Minors. Police officials hope families and teens will take advantage of the resources available through the program during summer break.
The initiative is named after Liam Metz, whose parents said their son maintained a positive attitude throughout his cancer battle.
“I can think back when Liam would get out of chemotherapy and he would have an IV on his back, and we’d stop at Mt. Trashmore, and he’d go, ‘Daddy, Mommy, I want to climb that mountain,’” Shawn Metz, Liam's said.
Liam’s parents said that positivity left a strong impact on the police department, which supported the family throughout Liam’s illness.
Lt. Kevin Lokey, who works with the department’s Youth Services Unit, said the program is designed to serve as a one-stop resource center for youth and families.
“Basically what it is, it gives youth and families a one-stop shop for any assistance they may need,” Lokey said.
According to police, resources available through LIAM include job opportunities, substance-use services, behavioral health support and mental health counseling for parents and children.
Lokey said the department has seen an increase in children experiencing crises in recent years and wants families to know support is available.
“We’re finding a lot more instances of kids in crisis now than we did in years prior, so we want these resources to be out there and available to them,” Lokey said. “Every teen has a smartphone where they can access these resources, but we want parents to be aware of it as well.”
The logo for the program was even drawn by Liam himself.
Liam’s parents said they hope the program continues their son’s legacy by helping others in need.
“My goal for this program as Liam’s father is to just help as many people as Liam would have helped and continues to try to help,” his father said.
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