RI TV Judge Diagnosed With Pancreatic Cancer, Asks For Prayers

PROVIDENCE, RI — A beloved Rhode Island TV judge known for his compassion while handling cases on TV's "Caught in Providence" is asking fans for prayers after he was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

"One of the happiest days of the year for me is my birthday, and recently, I celebrated my 87th birthday and received so many wonderful messages from people around the world," Judge Frank Caprio began in the emotional announcement video shared on his social media.

But this birthday, Caprio said, was "a little different" than any of his others.

"Quite recently, I was not feeling well and received a medical examination and the report was not a good one," Caprio continued. "And so I have been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas which is an insidious form of cancer ... I know there's a long road ahead and I'm fully prepared to fight as hard as I can."

In the video, Caprio shared photos of himself in the hospital undergoing treatment both in Rhode Island and at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

"I pray that God guides their thoughts and their hands in their treatment of me," Caprio said of the team of medical professionals working to save his life.

After thanking his fans and supporters for their "friendship and kind messages," Caprio begins to choke up as he asks them to "each in your own way, please pray for me."

"I am in need of the power of prayer, which I believe in addition to the medical treatment I'm receiving is the most powerful weapon to help me survive this," Caprio continued. "Just knowing you were keeping me in your thoughts means the world to me."

Caprio is the chief municipal judge in Providence and former chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Governors. He was appointed in 1985 and was re-appointed six times by the mayor and the city council, according to the official website of "Caught in Providence," which airs on television nationally and has gone viral in clips shared online.

According to the website, though the cases may play out like dramas on screen, all of the cases and people are real.

"Those who step in front of him have a little fun with the cameras, but Judge Caprio makes it clear that he is there to do his job," the show said.