By Police1 Staff
MARYSVILLE, Wash. — A Washington police officer is being recognized for going above and beyond for a family dealing with a devastating burglary.
Last week, Mikaela Richards and her older brother, Gage, came home after school and were shocked to find their money, wallets and nearly every electronic devices they owned were stolen, KIRO reports. Officer Nate Zaretzke, who responded to the call, said the case was heartbreaking.
“I think what was most heartbreaking was just the way the kids had to come home to this,” Zaretzke said.
When the siblings’ father, Jeff, met with detectives, Zaretzke learned that Jeff was a single father who was “working hard to make ends meet” for his family.
Among the stolen items were two Kindles. After police took the report, Zaretzke wanted to do something special for the family.
The next day, Gage was called into his school’s office where he picked up two Kindles that were gifts from the officer.
“It was pretty emotional because, I mean, after we got broken into, we didn’t have anything left,” Gage said.
Jeff went to social media to share the officer’s act of kindness, which soon went viral. Zaretzke said he was “extremely thankful and humbled” to learn that he received widespread recognition.
“It’s kind of cool that somebody would care that much and do something like that for people he doesn’t even know,” Gage said.