Like many boys his age, Jayden Morales of Grand Prairie, Texas idolizes police officers. In fact, he often dresses up in a uniform as a sign of his appreciation. Little did the 7-year-old know that thanking his local law enforcement would end up landing him his dream job for a day.
After his town lost Detective Jerry Walker, a beloved officer in Little Elm, Jayden wanted to attend the funeral. According to NBCDFW, Walker died during a SWAT standoff with a suspect in January. Jayden showed up to the services with a sign in hand that said, "Heroes Live Forever."
Jayden's gesture touched and inspired many people in attendance that day, including Grand Prairie Police Chief Steve Dye.
As a thank you for his support, Dye decided to give Jayden a special reward. He hung up his badge and gave the 7-year-old the title of Police Chief for the day.
During his time as chief, Jayden got to explore a squad car, sit at the Chief's desk and interact with the K-9 unit. As you can see in the video below, Jayden had a blast.
First off, it's amazing to see a young kid showing support for the men in blue. What's even more incredible to see, however, is that it really does make a difference in officers' lives. Jayden is a great example of how just a few kind words, whether displayed on a sign or shared aloud, can really go a long way.
Walker also attended the funerals of officers killed in the Dallas attack last year.
"I hope one day when he's older and he's able to fully understand what's all going on he can see just how big of an impact he made without even trying," Jayden's mother, Melissa Morales, told Fox4News.
