Friends, family members and fellow deputies departed from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Saturday afternoon to attend a memorial service at Canyon High School for Deputy Devin Freeman.

Freeman, the former school resource deputy at Sierra Vista Junior High and Canyon High, died Nov. 28 after a 6-year battle with ocular melanoma.

Story by Perry Smith | Hometownstation.com

Hundreds gathered at Canyon High School on Saturday at a memorial service for Deputy Devin Freeman.

Freeman, a Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputy who had been battling cancer for more than six years, died Thanksgiving morning surrounded by family members. He was 38.

Freeman was a school resource officer at Canyon High and neighboring Sierra Vista Junior High for several years.

“We’re gathered (at Canyon High on Saturday) for Deputy Devin Freeman’s memorial service and a celebration of his life,” said Deputy Josh Dubin of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. “And what we thought was special, was on the day that he passed on Thanksgiving morning, as the word spread that he passed away there was a ton of social media activity especially from students at Canyon High School, especially students that Freeman had come in contact with.”

One could tell by the messages and posts just how much of an impact Freeman had, Dubin said.

“It was just very special that all these students took to Twitter and Facebook and talked about some of the things he did, helping the students and throughout his career and throughout his life,” Dubin said.

In the end, he was next to those he loved, according to a statement from his wife, Meghan Freeman.

“He passed in his favorite chair, surrounded in his girls’ blankets, pillows and pictures they have drawn him over the past few months — his mom on one side and I on the other,” the statement read. “He was surrounded by love and his last words to me were, ‘I love you, too.’”

Freeman was diagnosed with ocular melanoma February 2007, according to a Facebook page created to support him, called “Freeman Family Fight.”

On April 18, Freeman was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma to the liver.

In response to the diagnosis, the Canyon High and Sierra Vista Junior High communities held their annual powder puff football game in Freeman’s honor, and thousands showed up to support.

“When we got news of his diagnosis, we just wanted to find some way for our two schools to embrace the family and support them through this difficult time,” said Canyon High Principal Mike Kuhlman, at the time of the fundraiser in May.

“He is just a terrific (school resource officer), and just a fantastic human being,” Kuhlman said. “All of us here appreciate working with him and love him as a guy.”