Milford PD, Chief, Makes A Young Boy's Dreams Come True

MILFORD, MA—Local mom Renee DeLuca Deans said she originally posted a story simply to "maybe make someone smile." She had seen a lot of negativity as of late on the Milford community FB board, and she wanted to inject some breezy happiness into the room.

So she posted about her son, Quinn, and his obsession with police cars and someday becoming a police officer. The obsession started before he could even talk.

She didn't know her "little" story would explode, in a good way.

"Most boys are naturally drawn to the flashing cars, or, my four have been, at least," she wrote, "But Quinn was always different. He spent at least a year wearing a police uniform almost daily, he dressed up as Officer Quinn for Halloween several times (once he did so complete with "working" double stroller turned MPD cruiser). It's been such a strong love that I've always wondered if it had some strange link back to us being helped out by an extremely kind officer just days before he was born."

Deans recalls a story that cemented her love and admiration for police, too. About seven years go, she was driving home from the grocery store-nine months pregnant-and got into a fender bender.

"The car in front of me came to a very sudden stop and as I went to reflexively hit the brake," she wrote, " and my shoe got caught under the gas pedal for a split second too long and we rear-ended the other vehicle. It was a small crash, but my radiator cracked leaking fluid all over the road and even worse, leaving us stranded just a few miles from home. The police responded and one officer in particular, noticing my belly, refused to leave until the tow truck arrived and until he knew I was okay. We didn't really know anyone here yet that I could call for help so I said I'd walk home but he wouldn't let me so instead of leaving me to fend for myself, he got all of the grocery bags out of my car, loaded them into his cruiser, drove us home and even carried the bags inside for me. I've never once forgotten the kindness he showed us that day and have always loved knowing that Quinn one day wanted to be just that type of person."

Seven years and two days later, Deans took her kids to the playground in the afternoon. Quinn and his younger sister Beckett, who is equally obsessed with police, spotted a cruiser. The Milford officer in that cruiser noticed how excited they were, and answered their questions and showed them the cruiser.

The officer, said Deans, blurted out, "Oh my God, you're the girl from West Fountain Street!" The officer who had stood by her side when she was pregnant was now showing her kids his police car.

"From that point, with a huge smile on his face, he spent a good amount of time answering their every question," wrote Deans, "let the kids in the car to turn on all the lights and sirens, let them 'handcuff' him, showed them every single working part of the vehicle and even invited Quinn to the station for a personal tour and to get some 'fun police gifts.'" To say it was the highlight of his day would be the definition of an understatement, I think he's probably still smiling right now. The nicest boy I know had an incredibly nice thing done for him yesterday - and it was so, so awesome to see."

As Deans asks, "what are the odds?" They're surely great, but we're going to go all in that Quinn's going to be a police officer someday.

"You'll never truly know how happy you made a young boy yesterday on his birthday," wrote Deans, "or how much his mom appreciated it. It couldn't possibly have happened to a nicer or more appreciative kid."

Deans' story of the officer's kindness to her kids took off, and in comes Chief Thomas O'Loughlin, who came across the story via one of Deans' good friends. Deans' wrote that O'Loughlin saw himself in young Quinn, and added to his dreams by inviting him to the station to receive certificates and a letter that stated,"So that we might help you in your consideration to join the Milford Police Department as a Police Officer in 14 years, we have decided to award you."

"Thank you seems like such a small phrase but it's what I have so THANK YOU, thank you, thank you, Milford Police Department!" wrote Deans. "You are the heart of this town just as much as you are now the heart of this young boy of mine! It would be this mom's total honor to see him serve alongside you all...many, many, many years down the road. I'm not quite ready to give up my morning cuddles and afternoon sunshine *just yet*."

Photos courtesy