When we are little kids, birthday parties are momentous occasions. They are our time to shine, spend time with the people we love, and of course, eat birthday cake!
So, when Westyn Ziegler had to choose a theme for his seventh birthday party -- he went with his favorite: the police! He excitedly invited 25 of his friends to the party and anxiously awaited the day.
Unfortunately, none of the 25 kids who were invited could make it to the party, and nobody RSVPed.
How Some Local Heroes Came to the Rescue
Westyn’s mom Kelly wrestled with the challenging decision: should she cancel the party and save Westyn the humiliation of an empty party room? He had been looking forward to the party and chattering about it daily, so it would break his heart to cancel it, and it would break Kelly’s heart to see her beloved son so sad.
Officer Jeremy Elliot, who has already coordinated with Kelly and agreed to take Westyn in his police cruiser for the party, heard that it was going to be canceled due to attendance.
That’s when he decided to save the day -- he is a police officer after all! His duty is to serve and protect, and he decided to protect Westyn from having a bad day, and serve him the most amazing seventh birthday party!
“We like to be involved in our community. Its not just about enforcing the law, we like to be there in the good times as well,” he said.
Officer Elliot got the whole local police and fire departments to pitch in.
On the day of Westyn’s party, Officer Elliot picked him up in his police cruiser. Westyn didn’t know where they were going, but was excited.
How a Police Officer Went Above and Beyond for a 7-Year-Old
The duo stopped at Town Hall, where a group of first responders and police were waiting to wish Westyn a happy birthday and usher him into the building.
There, a party was waiting for him. The hall was decorated and brimming with pizza, cake, ice cream, presents, friends -- and a pinata!
“There aren’t enough words to say how touched we were that all of these officers, firefighters, and friends all came out to share this day,” Kelly Ziegler said.
The icing on the cake? Westyn was named honorary officer for the day.
What would have been a crushing disappointment for Westyn turned into one of the best days of his young life thanks to the local heroes who made it their mission to give him the seventh birthday party he deserved.
We often think of police in intense and sometimes violent situations, risking their lives to protect us from physical harm.
However, there are also many local heroes who help by being part of the community and inspiring us in small -- but impactful -- ways every single day. It’s no wonder Westyn wanted a police-themed birthday!
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