Young Noah was having breakfast at Denny’s with his mom when he noticed a police officer sitting alone at a nearby table. Instantly, Noah felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. He knew he wanted to do something special for the officer, but he wasn’t sure what.
After discussing his admiration for the police officer with his mom, Noah came up with a plan. Although he initially wanted to go and say hi to the officer, his nerves got the best of him. But Noah didn’t give up. He decided to surprise the officer in a different way.
Noah had some birthday money saved up and came up with the idea of paying for the officer’s breakfast. His mom approved of the plan and they called the waitress over to share their intention. Together, they paid for Officer Eddie Benitez’s meal and Noah wrote a heartfelt message on the receipt.
Filled with a sense of purpose, Noah approached Officer Eddie with the receipt in hand, unsure of how he would react. But to Noah’s delight, the officer understood the gesture immediately. After reading the message, Eddie jumped out of his seat, grateful for the unexpected expression of appreciation. He even took a photo with his new young fan.
Noah’s message on the receipt read:
“I want to be you when I grow up. Thank you for your service, Noah.”
The impact of Noah’s gesture was enormous. Eddie was deeply moved and now carries the note with him every day. In a statement to 10 News, Eddie shared, “It meant everything. It meant that I’m supposed to wake up every morning and put on his uniform and go out there and do what I do. You know? It means that I need to keep trying to be a good example to all these young guys.”
The heartwarming story touched the Lakeland Police Department where Eddie serves, leading them to share the photo of Noah and Eddie on their Facebook page. Noah was overwhelmed with pride at the positive response his kind act received, and it has only strengthened his desire to become a police officer in the future.
Let’s all show our appreciation for the police force by clicking the “Like” button! Together, we can spread kindness and gratitude.
