Officers Surprise 25-Year-Old Autistic Man Who Called 911 Asking For Someone To Wish Him A Happy Birthday
You only turn 25 once, after all.
Lysenko Andrii | Shutterstock Everyone deserves to feel special on their birthday. An autistic man named Chris was marking birthday number 25 when he realized he didn’t have anyone to celebrate with. Not to be deterred, Chris did what anyone does when they’re in need of help — he called 911.
While some dispatchers and police officers might view this as a nuisance and a waste of resources, two officers in Boston jumped into action to make sure Chris enjoyed his big day. These cops proved that the motto "protect and serve" can still exist; we just need to highlight more positive community interactions with law enforcement. Sometimes it's just easier to get stuck in the loop of bad news.
The 911 call was initially reported as a wellness check, when all Chris really wanted was for someone to wish him a happy birthday.
WPRI 12 reported on the touching story of police officers who took time out of their day to make Chris feel special on what is the most important day of the year for him. Joe Cortese, who reported on the story for the station, explained that Officer Israel Bracho and his partner thought the call they received for a wellness check was a joke. “Once we verified it actually was his birthday, we said, ‘Well, uh, everyone has one birthday, so everyone deserves to feel special on that one day,’” Bracho said.
To make the occasion extra festive, the officers picked up muffins and candles on the way to Chris’ house. Bracho continued, “On our way there, we decided, you know, you can’t show up to someone’s house empty-handed. My mother raised me right. She would have killed me if I didn’t.”
Bracho and his partner delivered a muffin, complete with lit candles, to Chris’ doorstep. They then sang “Happy Birthday” to Chris while he clasped his hands together and grinned in excitement. The trio shared hugs before the officers left.
“We wish you the best birthday, okay?” one of the officers called out to Chris. “Thank you so much!” Chris replied. “You gonna be alright? You good?” the officer asked right before they stepped away. “I’m great … This is [all] I could ask for,” he said, holding up his muffin with the blown-out candles.
For once, this was a good news story involving the police.
If you turn on the news, there is no shortage of stories that involve the police. Many of them have to do with violent crimes, tragic accidents, and other heartbreaking situations. This story was actually a positive one that easily brought smiles to viewers’ faces.
Jacoby Clarke | Pexels
“Love it,” one of the anchors said. “And, so many times on the news, we often say, ‘A warning, this might be disturbing video,’ when we’re talking about police body cam video that we’re about to show you on the news. In this case, we want you to see it!”
The way the police officers treated Chris with kindness and respect should also not go unnoticed. They could have easily written off his 911 call and even reported it as a false call. The Massachusetts Government’s website said that the fine for making such a call in the state is up to $1,000, plus up to two and a half years of possible jail time.
People with autism can have a hard time making friends, meaning this experience was probably even more special for Chris.
According to the U.K.’s National Autistic Society, “Autistic people can find social situations difficult or overwhelming and struggle to make and maintain friendships, leading to social isolation.”
When you watch the officers’ body cam footage, it appears that Chris is alone. There is no one else present at his home, even though it’s the night of his birthday. It’s possible that he didn’t really have anyone else he could call on to wish him a happy birthday, so he called people he knew were trustworthy and there to help.
While this story is bittersweet when you acknowledge these realities, it is nonetheless heartwarming to see two police officers go out of their way to make a member of their community feel appreciated on the day he deserved it most.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
