Bullied 9-year-old was heartbroken when no one came to his birthday — until local police walked in with a surprise
'The officer also noticed something else was missing: Cake! ...but he planned to fix that...'
A boy was too scared that no one would come for his birthday, and as expected, when his biggest fears came true, Officer Lynema from the Grand Rapids Police Department decided to surprise the 9-year-old with something that lives in his heart, rent-free. In April 2019, the police department shared the heartfelt story on Facebook, showing the world the true power of simple acts of kindness.
Ofc. Lynema's first introduction to Thomas Daniel, the boy, was straight out of a movie plot. Well, the duo met when Ofc. Lynema saw the little boy running after his school bus early in the morning. However, when the bus didn't stop, the officer asked if he needed some help, and Thomas told him that he had missed his school bus and his mom didn't have a car. "Ofc. Lynema (with the mom's permission) gave him a ride to school, and during their travels, Ofc. Lynema learned that it was Thomas's 9th birthday," they wrote. Thomas invited him to his party after school, but also shared that he was scared that no one from his class would show up. In fact, the boy said he was regularly bullied at school. That evening, Lynema showed up at his birthday party, but unfortunately, apart from him and his siblings, nobody else did. "The officer also noticed something else was missing: cake! ...but he planned to fix that," the department wrote.
The following day, Ofc. Lynema and his teammates surprised Thomas with a belated birthday party as he got off the bus. They had arranged for a Krispy Kreme donut cake, presents, and a singing quartet. "This is the best birthday ever!" Thomas told them. From being bullied at school to being disappointed when nobody came to his party, the little boy definitely didn't have a great start to his birthday, but thanks to Ofc. Lynema, Thomas, could celebrate his birthday, and he won't forget it ever again. "No kid should get bullied, and no kid should worry if anyone will come to the party," the GRPD said. Thomas clearly had an idea that he would have to celebrate his birthday without his classmates, especially because of all the bullying he had to go through at such a young age. He was not only a lonely child but also someone low on confidence, and all the negative experiences at school should be blamed for it.
According to research, bullied individuals, just like Thomas, were found to have a higher rate of depression and anxiety. In fact, students who have been victims of bullying showed signs of lower self-esteem. Moreover, the research said that apart from depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, bullying can also trigger thoughts to end one's life. Ofc. Lynema, perhaps, could understand what Thomas was going through and what the consequences could be if the boy didn't have the birthday he deserved, and hence decided to surprise him along with his teammates. Meanwhile, reacting to the story, Tristy Kolden commented, "A little feel-good today in a world filled with madness. Be a good human. Be kind. Show up for others. Way to go, GRPD! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY, THOMAS!" Tracy Wenzel wrote, "I love this! I have so much respect for all police officers for the protection they provide us by putting their lives on the line every day and for their amazing compassion towards others in any given situation! Unfortunately, they are unappreciated and disrespected by so many. Awesome job, GRPD!"
Echoing the sentiments, Joe Taylor wrote, "This is police work in its truest form! Strong work, brother! Happy Belated Birthday, Thomas!" Pamela Cross wrote, "Bless your heart, Ofc. Lynema, for helping this young man. This is something Thomas and his family will remember for the rest of their lives. Thank you for making a difference. Thomas, happy 9th birthday, young man. May this be the last time you have to worry about who will attend your birthday party."
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