Police officers spread holiday cheer for kids at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
HOLLYWOOD — Santa's helpers didn't come by sleigh to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. They arrived in Miramar Police cars.
They had no bad guys in their back seats today, just box after box of gifts, rolling in a parade of presents for children who can't go home for the holidays.
"Merry Christmas" officers cheered as they went into 13-year-old Dollie Minnich's hospital room. "We wanted to cheer you up. We got you something you might like."
"Thank you! Thank you very much," Dollie replied.
She appreciated the karaoke machine and ring light they brought here.
"It definitely makes it a lot more special being in the hospital on Christmas," she said. "It makes it a lot better."
From the littlest child to the young teens, officers are spreading Christmas cheer to kids who can use a boost.
"Sometimes it was a little lonely. At least I had my mom here and a couple of family members who came here," said 13-year-old Henry Medina from his hospital bed.
This all began 15 years ago after Sgt. Anthony Pacetti and Det. Carlos Villalona began talking about their own heartbreaking losses.
"My mom passed away at a young age and I spent some time in the hospital, and I heard someone tell me one day, 'If you think you have it bad, think about the kids who spend Christmas in the hospital,'" Pacetti recalled.
"Unfortunately, my daughter passed away just a month shy of her second birthday. We spent several Christmases here at Joe DiMaggio," Villalona said. "There were other people who did the same thing for me, brought toys for my daughter, my older daughter."
That's when they both realized they had a calling to pay it forward.
"Just seeing the smiles you put on these kids' faces and seeing that and being able to relate how I felt when it was done for me, you can't put a price on that," Villalona said.