One Oklahoma City boy’s secret mission to surprise his mom for Christmas snowballed into a larger surprise for his whole family after their local police officers banded together to ensure that the family had an amazing Christmas.
According to KFOR-TV, single mom Sophia Reed had used the last of her extra funds, including Christmas money, in order to move herself and her children into a new apartment in the city.
So the family was prepared to spend Christmas perhaps having a nice dinner and enjoying one another’s company.
Reed’s children, however, had a different plan for their mother, intent on buying her a Christmas gift.
But son Diauris’ grand surprise was foiled after he turned up missing for a rather long time, sparking fear in his mother’s heart. Sophia Reed called the police, not knowing of her children’s plan.
“I was afraid he was going to get in trouble,” Diauris’ sister Deneisha said. “I was very afraid he was going to get in trouble. I just didn’t want to say anything because it would blow the whole thing.”
As it turns out, 13-year-old Diauris, on the suggestion of his sister Deneisha, had started sneaking out and collecting cans in an effort to make money to buy a gift for their mom.
“I just wanted to do something for my mama,” Diauris told the news station.
He quickly returned home when he saw officers and told them what he was doing. His story touched one officer’s heart so much that he soon started spreading word around the station.
“There was so many knocks on my door, everybody just was knocking, just was knocking, and every time I opened my door, it was the police, the police,” Sophia Reed recalled.
Soon the area under the family’s Christmas tree started to be loaded with gifts. Officers had banded together and raised some $800 and also bought the family Christmas and housewarming gifts.
“Most of the time when I see the police, it’s, like, bad stuff,” Diauris said. “Up here I guess it’s changed, good.”
“They caught us at the right time, and we are so grateful,” his mom added.
Read more at KFOR-TV.