Nine-year-old Noah was having breakfast at Denny’s with his mother when he noticed a police officer sitting alone at a nearby table.
Right away, Noah felt nervous. He wanted to do something, but he wasn’t sure what. After telling his mother about the officer, he started thinking of a plan.
Noah had always dreamed of becoming a police officer. He asked his mother if he could go over and say hello to Officer Eddie Benitez.
She agreed, but as Noah walked toward the officer, he became too shy to speak. He turned back and started thinking of a new plan.
A few minutes later, Noah decided to buy the officer’s breakfast. He wanted to use money he had saved from his birthday.
His mother, Amanda, called the waitress over and explained Noah’s plan. After paying, Noah wrote a message on the receipt. Then, he gathered his courage and walked up to Officer Eddie.
At first, Eddie was confused about why Noah had his receipt. But as soon as he read the note, he understood what was happening.
The message said:
“I want to be you when I grow up. Thank you for your service. – Noah”
The kind gesture touched Eddie’s heart. He jumped out of his chair and took a photo with his new young fan.
Eddie later shared how much Noah’s note meant to him.
“It meant everything. It reminded me why I wake up every morning, put on my uniform, and do my job. It showed me that I need to keep setting a good example.”
The story became even more special when Eddie’s police department, the Lakeland Police Department, shared a photo of him and Noah on their Facebook page.
After the post gained attention, Noah became even more excited about becoming a police officer someday.
