About two months ago, 13-year-old Logan Ludwig was told that his grandfather, a well-regarded police officer of 19 years, had stage-four lung cancer. A sad story, yes, but it gets worse.

Officer Paul Ludwig worked for the Washington, D.C., Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD). Due to a loophole in the disability pensions policy, the Metro knocked Ludwig's pension from $2,800 a month to $770, a huge difference that forced Officer Ludwig to sell his home, declare bankruptcy and move in with his son.

Devastated by the injustice toward his grandfather, the 13-year-old took it upon himself to create a Facebook group for his family, fellow police officers and other cancer survivors. His goal: to share the family's tale and garner support.

Continue reading to learn how this teen used Facebook for something more important than Farmville.


Much to the family's surprise, the story hit home with others who came across it, and the group grew to over 25,000 fans (gaining an average of 3,000 per day). As the press got involved, people became outraged at Metro's behavior, dubbing it a "BP moment" for the D.C. transit authority.

"Supporters, a lot of them police officers and other servicemen and women, began pouring out their well wishes for Dad," said Mark Ludwig, Logan's uncle and Officer Ludwig's youngest son, in an exclusive interview with Asylum. "Our Facebook friends took matters into their own hands and used any means necessary to contact WMATA and get Dad's story out there in the world."

The WMATA and MTPD fought back by deleting user comments on their Facebook page and, eventually, excusing themselves from the social media scene entirely.

Despite the increased pressure on them, WMATA still refuses to address the issue, aside from acknowledging the situation's unfairness.

Sadly, Officer Ludwig passed away last Tuesday evening.

"Our Dad was always the one fighting for what is right and protecting us and others his whole life. Now for us to have had to fight for him was -- and is -- difficult, but necessary," says Mark. "The family has and will continue to share this story until my father's situation is corrected."

You can show your support by visiting Officer Ludwig's Facebook page or the family's blog. You can also contact WMATA and give them a piece of your mind.