Page 54 - November2018

o o ees C officers
■ BY DAN CAMPANA
At just 11 years old, Tyler Carach has turned the old cops- and-donuts cliché into an amazing show of support and grat- itude for police officers across the nation.
It started simply, during a trip to the grocery store with his mother two years ago. Tyler spotted four deputies and asked if he could use his allowance to buy them some donuts, which the boy called “their favorite snacks.”
“He has always loved the police,” explained Tyler’s mother, Sheena.
The grateful officers left an impression on Tyler, who didn’t initially understand why his small gesture left the officers so appreciative. Sheena told her son how some police officers are wrongly judged by people, and that some who wear the badge have been hurt just for doing their job.
“He got really sad,” Sheena said, adding that Tyler turned his emotions into a mission. “He said, ‘I’m going to thank them all.’”
In that moment, Tyler decided he wanted to deliver a donut to every cop in America — a number that totals in the neigh- borhood of 900,000, according to Sheena. Before she knew it, she and Tyler were flying to Oregon thanks to a radio station that caught wind of “Tyler the Donut Boy” and helped get his “I donut need a reason to thank a cop” campaign off to a fast start.
Tyler’s fantastic journey has racked up thousands of miles to deliver 75,000 donuts to officers in 41 states so far. In ear- ly November, Tyler and his mother brought the donut tour to Chicago for visits to several district headquarters around the city. He even celebrated his 11th birthday in style by hosting a “reverse” birthday party, where he treated others.
A planned two-hour trip to the 2nd District turned into six hours. Tyler pulled up a chair in the CAPS office and chatted the time away with officers like he was hanging out with old friends.
“There’s nothing they can talk to him about that scares him,” Sheena said, calling her son an “old soul” who is mature for his age. “He’s ready to be a cop.”
At 014, Tyler — decked out in a donut-patterned cape — helped with a donut-eating contest, where he awarded the winner with a basketball trophy fittingly modified with a do- nut topper. His stops around the city also included meeting a K-9, handing out thank-you cards at a roll call and sharing hugs all along the way.
“Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Sheena said of this whirlwind experience.
With Tyler’s goal of becoming a K-9 officer when he grows up, the immediate future holds big plans focused on teaching kids that police officers are just people who do a special job. Sheena acknowledges that some children are raised to fear cops.
“We’re hoping to change that perception,” she added.
A lot has changed for Tyler and his family already, as they’ve crisscrossed the nation on his goodwill tour. Although it has primarily been Tyler and Sheena, Tyler’s two older siblings and his dad also have jumped on board for some stops. One way or another, they’ve all embraced the way donuts have become a
major part of their family—thanks to Tyler.
“It’s been life-altering. He just met some cops at a store one
day. He loves police, saw a need and just wanted to be the change,” Sheena proudly explained. “It’s incredible to see it as a parent. He’s so passionate, so driven. He loves every second of it.”
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