Then Noah nervously walked over to Officer Benitez with the receipt in hand. When he handed the receipt to the officer, Amanda said, he was so stunned he jumped out of his seat…
Noah is a nine-year-old boy from Florida who has a dream to become a police officer one day. He believes that what these men and women do for our community and our country is worth all the praise.
It was “Bring your kid to work” day at the restaurant where Noah’s mom works so she decided to bring him with her that day. As young Noah spent his day at Danny’s, he saw a lot of people walking in. Then, all of a sudden, he spotted a police officer entering the place.
The officer, Mr. Benitez, was about to have his lunch. He was all by himself and that was a chance for Noah to do something amazing for him.
The boy approached his mother and asked her if it was okay for him to pay for the officer’s lunch. His mom, Amanda, was surprised by Noah’s plan. Of course, she said yes and asked Noah why he wanted to do that, to what Noah replied that although he didn’t know who the officer was, he appreciated his service and just wanted to say thank you.
The waitress gave Noah the bill. With the help of his mom, this lovely boy paid it and then wrote on it: “I want to be you when I grow up. Thank you for your service.”
Noah then approached Officer Benitez while holding the bill. The officer was confused at first, but when he read the touching message, he jumped out of his seat and shook Noah’s hand.
Amanda then snapped a photo of the two, which was later re-shared by the Lakeland Police Department. Along with it, they wrote: “Well Noah, you touched all of our hearts today. Your support means so much to all the men and women who wear uniforms every day.”
As for Officer Benitez, he was very thankful to Noah and his mom for paying for his lunch and making his day. “[Noah] meant everything. He meant I was supposed to get up every morning and put on this uniform and go out there and do what I’m doing. You know? That means I have to keep trying to be a good example for all those guys,” the officer said.
Even though he’s still just a child, Noah understands the importance of the role officers play in our society. That is one of the reasons he dreams of becoming an officer one day. In case that happens, his mom Amanda says she would be one “proud mother.”
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