Young Girl’s Handwritten Thank You Note Praises Conn. Police Officer’s Kind Gesture at Hockey Game

Hartford Police Officer Christopher Vanwey turned a disappointing moment at a Hartford Wolf Pack hockey game into a lesson in kindness for a young girl, who later thanked him with a handwritten note.
Source Officer.com News
March 25, 2026
2 min read

What to know

  • A young girl wrote a handwritten thank‑you note to Hartford Police Officer Christopher Vanwey after he brightened her night at a Hartford Wolf Pack hockey game by giving her a toy and a soccer ball when she missed catching a T‑shirt.
  • The girl’s mother also wrote a message thanking Vanwey for the gifts and for teaching her children lessons about kindness and the positive role police officers play in the community.
  • Hartford Police shared the notes on social media, saying the gesture reflected what policing is about — noticing people, showing compassion, and making a difference when it matters.
Hartford, CT, Police Department
Touching notes of thanks for Hartford, CT, police officer.

A young girl and her mother wrote handwritten notes to thank Hartford Police Officer Christopher Vanwey for his act of kindness during a recent Hartford Wolf Pack hockey game.

A young girl's handwritten note thanking a Connecticut police officer for a small act of kindness has touched not only the officer but his entire department.

The note, along with a message from the girl's mom, were in response to the actions of Hartford Police Officer Christopher Vanwey. The department shared a photo of the correspondence in a social media post Tuesday. 

"While working a Hartford Wolf Pack hockey game, Officer Vanwey noticed a young girl was upset she didn’t catch a t-shirt," the post stated. "He took the time to turn her night around—getting her a hockey toy and a soccer ball."

Hartford, CT, Police Department
Hartford, CT, Police Officer Christopher Vanwey and his thank you notes.

Hartford, CT, Police Officer Christopher Vanwey received touching notes from a young girl and her mother, thanking him for his kindness at a recent Hartford Wolf Pack hockey game.

In the card, written in crayon, the girl thanked Vanwey for the toy and ball. "You are very thoughtful," she wrote.

The mother's note also thanked Vanwey for the gifts. She also thanked him for teaching her daughter and son valuable lessons.

"Thank you for all you do each and every day to protect us all," she wrote. "Thanks for teaching my children about kindness."

Vanwey's actions were not lost on his department, which thanked the family for the notes.

"That simple act of kindness meant everything to the family, who shared that the moment helped teach their children about compassion and the positive role police officers play in the community." the department wrote on social media.

"This is what policing is about—showing up, paying attention, and making a difference when it matters most."

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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