John Perry, pictured with wife Starr Perry and children Hallie and Reed Pettit, was recently diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer.

For much of his life, John Perry has been the one that people call for help. But now, in his time of need, he’s relying on the kindness of his community to return the favor.

A 1987 Pell City High School graduate, Perry started working for the Pell City Police Department as a dispatcher. By 1991, he was promoted to a patrol officer, where he served until February 2008. After a break from working in law enforcement, he took a position with the Argo Police Department, which he currently holds.

However, about six months into his tenure in Argo, Perry started having health concerns.

“I had a pain in my right side, and it took awhile to find, but an ER doctor referred me to someone who ran the right tests, where they found a tumor in my colon,” Perry said.

When doctors went in to perform surgery on the mass, they found stomach cancer, which they’ve recently discovered is an incurable case.

“It’s just treatable, so they can try to treat it and give me a few more years,” Perry said.

Currently, Perry is unable to work, but has found support coming out of the woodwork, it seems.

“It’s been kind of difficult, it’s really been an eye opener because usually I’m the one everybody calls for help, but now everyone’s coming to help me, and everyone’s been really great about it,” he said. “Over in Argo, they’ve just went above and beyond; the employees of the city over there, the citizens and the business owners over there have done fundraisers and everything to make sure that we haven’t went without. They’ve really been a blessing to us.”

Perry was especially struck by a coworker who donated his sick time to give his family a paycheck.

“Without them, we really don’t know where we’d be at right now,” his wife, Starr said.

“They’ve been our lifesaver since all this started. The mayor and council and police chief has went well out of their way to make sure we haven’t needed for anything,” Perry added.

A second-generation bluegrass lover and banjo player, Perry will be the recipient of funds from the Bluegrass Benefit Show at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Pell City Civic Center. Admission is free, but donations will be taken.

Throughout the day, a variety of Bluegrass groups will perform including Buddy Bowman and the Hungry Holler Boys, Jim Hurst, the Flint River Boys, Behind the Times, the Clay Boys, Route 75, Pine Mountain Possum Pickers, Camp Meeting Singers, Stanley and Company, the Log Cabin Band, Blackrock station, Good Time Bluegrass Band and the Renfro Mountain Medicine Show.

A raffle will also take place throughout the day, and food and drinks will be available, as well.

All performers are volunteering their time and talents, and 100 percent of the proceeds from the event will go to the Perry family.