Madison Pruitt’s biggest dream is to be a Chicago police officer.
But the six-year-old Chicago girl is battling rhabdomyosarcoma, a terminal cancer for which she was diagnosed just after Easter 2015.
So on Wednesday afternoon, dozens of uniformed officers from the Chicago Police Department, including officers on horseback, a K9 officer, SWAT team members, and interim Chicago PD Superintendent Eddie Johnson paid a special visit to Pruitt.
“Hi, I’m Superintendent Eddie Johnson. I heard your lifelong dream was to become a Chicago Police officer,” Johnson told Pruitt on the front porch of her home, flanked by officers and local media.
“So today I’m going to make it official and make you a lifelong Chicago police officer. Congratulations!” the superintendent said as he placed an official police cap on her head.
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The department also presented Pruitt with a commendation for valour for her courage in battling the rare form of muscular cancer, which is most prevalent in children and teens.
The special moment was all thanks to Pruitt’s social worker, Lindsay Wooster, who initially arranged to have Pruitt visit a nearby police station.
But the little girl, who receives hospice care at home after undergoing numerous chemo and radiation treatments, was not feeling up to the journey.
“Her spirits are well, but she’s doing pretty poorly at this point,” Sgt. Ernest Bradley of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy, the department’s community policing program, told NBC Chicago.
So a last-minute change of plans led to the visit Wednesday, with around 75 officers paying Pruitt a visit.
Uniformed officers flanked both sides of Pruitt’s street Pruitt.
“I kind of was anticipating we might be able to set up a little meet and greet for her, perhaps with one officer,” Wooster told CBS Chicago.
“I never imagined that it would be this much so, it’s pretty incredible for Madison.”
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“I am overjoyed with the Chicago Police Department,” Pruitt’s grandmother, Pamlor Nelson, said. “It makes me feel real joyful. That was the most wonderful part, when they said they were going to come to us.”
After being presented with her police cap and award for bravery, young Pruitt was asked why she wanted to be a police officer.
“Because you get to protect people,” she said.
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