Wisconsin boy with rare disease sworn in as police officer in New Jersey beach town
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ethan Kranig was sworn in as an honorary police officer with the Wildwood Police Department. (John Lynch via Facebook)
When members of the Wildwood, N.J., community heard that Ethan Kranig, a sick 9-year-old boy from Wisconsin who always wanted to be a police officer was planning on visiting their beach town, locals pulled out all the stops.
Kranig, who was diagnosed with the rare disease ectrodactyly ectodermal dysplasia, was officially sworn-in Monday as an honorary police officer with the Wildwood Police Department.
Police Chief Robert Regalbuto gave Kranig the oath of office and was touched by the emotional event.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Regalbuto said he’s seen “nothing like this before... and I’ve been with the department for 28 years.”
A Wildwood resident, Christine Six Brown, helped to coordinate Kranig's trip, but it was John Lynch — a local who works with the city’s tourism department and is known for giving back to the community — who spearheaded the event.
GIRL SCOUT WHO SAVED GRANDMOTHER FROM CHOKING ON POTATO HONORED WITH AWARD
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When he heard that Kranig, who planned to be in the area for follow-up treatments at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, wanted to be a police officer, he called up the Wildwood Police Department to see how they could help.
In addition to becoming a police officer, Kranig’s one wish was to visit the ocean for the first time.
The nearby Middle Police Department also wanted to help, so they gave Kranig and his family a police escort straight to the beach, which made Kranig “ecstatic,” according to Lynch.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}And when other local residents heard what was going on, they, too, wanted to help. A sightseeing helicopter business called up looking to give the Kranigs a free ride. The boardwalk’s iconic Sightseers Tramcars offered Kranig’s family free tram rides.
FATHER AND SON KAYAK DOWN MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR VETERANS
“When we as a community can do that, can do something so special, it’s incredible,” Lynch said of the city coming together for Kranig. “With so much discord going on … this is what America is all about.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Wildwood Police Department concluded the ceremony by including Kranig in the force's yearly staff photograph.
Ethan Kranig is collecting police department patches. Departments interested in sending him a police patch to add to his collection can visit LunchWithLynch.com.