Make-A-Wish Foundation Fulfills South Jersey Teen's Dream To Be Las Vegas Police Officer
WEST DEPTFORD, N.J. (CBS) -- The Make-A-Wish Foundation came through for a South Jersey teenager. Fifteen-year-old Riley Carty was surprised with a special police escort and honor guard to the airport early Thursday morning as he's off to Las Vegas to join his favorite police officers.
Under cover of darkness, a quiet caravan of police and fire vehicles rolled down West Deptford Street for one reason Thursday.
It was all to surprise Riley courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"I always wanted to be a cop," he said.
Carty has epilepsy and has gone through two surgeries -- one last year.
"It's just something he really thinks about protecting people," Jennifer Carty, Riley's mom, said.
Jennifer Carty, herself an EMT, says he has admired Las Vegas police ever since seeing them in action on TV during the 2017 massacre that killed 58 people and wounded more than 400.
"Because of the way they tried to go in and find the guy after he started firing off shots," Riley said.
"I remember him coming to me and saying, 'Mom, did you see what happened there?' They kept helping people, they were getting the shooter, but they were still grabbing people and putting them into cars and driving them to the hospitals. For him that's what it is all about," Jennifer said.
Area first responders got together to send Riley off to the airport. He will be with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as they mark the second anniversary of the Oct. 1 tragedy and he will spend an entire day working alongside officers.
"We're very excited," Jennifer said.
Then it was time to head to the most memorable trip of his life.
"I'm waiting to see what's on the other side," he said.
During his time with Las Vegas police, Riley will work with the swat team, K-9 unit and check out the police helicopter.