Police Officer Gets Bicycle For Teen Walking Miles To School

Oct 18, 2021 by apost team

Being a new kid at school can be challenging. There's pressure to fit in with the other students and catch up with schoolwork. On top of that, kids have to adjust to their new surroundings and a new lifestyle at home. It can be hard to balance so many new changes all at once, but one teenager was somehow managing to do it all.

A young boy named Yometh had recently moved to the Marion County School District area in Ocala, Florida, with his mother. The 13-year-old boy and his mom would walk miles to and from the school together every single day. It was a kind-hearted gesture, but it was clear that a change to their routine would benefit them both. Fortunately, a school resource officer decided to do something about their situation.

Police officers and school resource officers have a job to serve and protect their community. For one resource officer by the name of J.A. Fernandez, that service looked a little different than usual. He knew that Yometh was a good student and he was new to the area, so he wanted to give the teenager an extra helping hand.

Fernandez was shocked to find out that Yometh had never owned his own bicycle, so he did whatever he needed to in order to give the teenager the best present ever. After finally being able to secure a bicycle, Fernandez gave it to Yometh in October 2021, shocking both the young boy and his mom. It warmed everyone's hearts to see just how much the school resource officer really cared for the student.

A Heartwarming Surprise

After seeing Yometh and his mother walk miles to and from school every day, Ocala School Resource Officer Fernandez decided to help, according to WFTV. "Mom goes back again and then comes back again in the afternoon and returns home, she actually walks this four times," Fernandez explained.

Fernandez learned that Yometh was new to the Ocala area and spoke very little English, so he made an effort to really get to know the young teenager. "The student is very humble… very quiet," he said. "He's a really good kid." After spending more time with Yometh, Fernandez found out that he had never owned a bike before and that he didn't even know how to ride one. The school resource officer was determined to change that.

Fernandez explained, "So I decided to contact Miss Cindy Turner from the Marion County Sheriff's Office to assist me to get him a bicycle… his first bicycle." Turner works in youth intervention for the sheriff's office and assists kids that need help, as per WFTV. She was able to secure a donation for the bike.

The day of Yometh's 13th birthday arrived, and Fernandez had the perfect gift to surprise him with. Walking out of the school building with a new bicycle decked out in balloons, Fernandez excitedly presented the gift to Yometh, shocking both the teen and the teen's mother. Yometh quickly made his way over to the resource officer to give him a hug full of gratitude. We wish Yometh all the best on his journey of learning how to ride a bike!

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What did you think about this heartwarming story? When did you learn how to ride a bike? Let us know, and feel free to pass this along to your family members and friends to find out what they think, too.