“A Special Thanks to These Kind Police Officers”
— by Sherry Lynn Hillard
This past week, we had six police officers come to our house because my son had a big meltdown that turned into a scary rage.
With all the bad things people say about the police lately, I just had to share something good. These officers were so kind and understanding with my son.
They didn’t know much about autism when they arrived, but they listened carefully and made sure everyone stayed safe. They also asked a lot of questions so they wouldn’t accidentally make things worse.
Today’s meltdown was over something small but important to John—he wants to dress like Joe from Blue’s Clues, but I haven’t been able to find the same shirt anywhere.
After things calmed down, the officers went out and bought a blue shirt. Then, with Jenn’s fabric markers, they tried to make it look just like Joe’s shirt for John.
The photo I’m sharing shows three of the officers working hard to make the shirt—just to help a teenage boy with severe autism feel a little happier.
In the end, the shirt didn’t turn out quite right, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that they tried. They cared. And to me, that makes them true heroes.