13-Year-Old Says He Wants To Run Away From Home, So Cop Fills His Empty Room
With all of the doom and gloom covering the nation’s headlines these days, it’s good to know that there are still some heartwarming stories to tell! Case in point is this viral clip, courtesy of HLN, about an ordinary police officer who does an extraordinary favor for a young teenaged boy. We know that you’ll just love this inspirational duo!
Before we get into the thick of this tale, let’s all take a trip down memory lane together. Think back to your adolescence; unless you were prom queen, we’re betting that you, like most everyone else out there, found it to be a challenging time!
The pressure to succeed in school, get along with parents, and skirt potential dangerous peer pressure, all while dealing with those classic raging hormones, doesn’t make it an easy time for any kid! That’s why so many of them treasure their private sanctuaries—AKA their bedrooms!
Though there are children throughout the world that don’t have the creature comforts that the average American is used to enjoying, it’s easy to forget that there are many children in the U.S. who don’t even have a bed to sleep on at night.
Take 13-year-old Cameron Simmons of Sumter, South Carolina, for instance. This youngster put a call in to his local police station after having a disagreement with his mother. During that phone call, he told the operator that he didn’t want to live at home anymore.
The responding officer, Guytano Acerra, eventually brought the teenager home and went his own way, but not before taking note of Cameron’s living conditions. Though it seems that the boy was properly cared for, his room did not come equipped with the accoutrements that most children usually take for granted, like a comfortable bed, for instance, or even a place to do homework.
So, the officer quietly did what he could for the boy. After handing off his personal cell phone number, and letting Cameron know that he can call him if he’s having trouble at home, Acerra leapt into action and donated a bed, a chair, a desk, and even a Wii game system to the teen.
After the good cop outfitted Cameron’s room, the boy reportedly thanked him for the generosity by saying, “Now my back won’t hurt when I sleep.”
Now, it’s important to note that Officer Acerra wasn’t expecting all of the press and praise when he originally gave these gifts. In his interview, he explains exactly why he chose to help out this particular boy.
The officer says: “I didn’t do this for publicity, or, you know, to get people to notice me, I did it because I could, and it was the right thing to do; I think people should do things like this.”
We are in full agreement, but the story doesn’t end there. Watch HLN’s video below to see Cameron’s new room, and also to see this dynamic duo enjoying one of the boy’s more tricked-out gifts. Such a sweet story!
What do you think of Officer Acerra’s good deed? Have you ever donated your time to the needy? Do you have a similar story about a special police officer that you would like to share? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!