A New York police department made a dream come true for a 5-year-old boy with incurable brain by making him an officer for a day last week.
Ethan Hierro was sworn in as a Tarrytown police officer in an official ceremony Feb. 20, News 12 Westchester reports. Ethan was diagnosed with glioblastoma over a year ago, but his mother, Isabel Estevez, said this form of incurable brain cancer hasn't tampered his law enforcement aspirations, which he has had since he was 3.
"He really is always arresting everyone in the house and putting us in jail, and it’s really just Ethan," she told News 12.
This was the first time the Tarrytown Police Department has worked with a family to grant a wish like Ethan's, and the agency made sure he had all the elements to make him an officer.
"We went and found a uniform online that we purchased for Ethan, and we had our patches put on the sleeves by a local tailor," said Chief John Barbelet.
Ethan was escorted to the department by a procession of police cruisers, and he was given his own official Tarrytown Police Department Auxiliary badge. During his shift, Ethan checked out the department's bomb detection dogs and robot and deployed an officer while working on the dispatch desk. He ended the day by taking a spin in his new Tarrytown police Hot Wheels cruiser, which was provided by the agency.
Serving as a Tarrytown police officer was a welcome diversion for Ethan, who regularly goes to Tennessee for treatment. Estevez, a single mom, had to stop working in order to care for Ethan, and she has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for his medical bills.
