Louisiana Cop Goes Black Friday Shopping to Bring Holiday Cheer to Neighborhood Siblings
— -- Christmas came early for two Louisiana siblings for simply saying "Thank you" to a local police officer last Friday.
Hammond police officer, Timothy Bachot, bought 10-year-old Gwendolyn and nine-year-old Anthony Alexander a pair of Mongoose bicycles after the siblings expressed their appreciation for his service to their community.
The reserve officer told ABC News he was driving around his usual patrol route -- Hayden Village in the Rosewood subdivision -- when he spotted Anthony scooting around on one roller skate with a friend.
"They talked to me and told me they wanted to be police officers," Bachot said. "I thought it was cool. You rarely have kids in impoverished neighborhoods that want to talk to the police."
Bachot said Hayden Village is a primarily low-income neighborhood full of kids. He and his fellow officers "do extra patrols" to ensure the children's safety.
When his conversation with the kids shifted to Christmas, Anthony and his friend had one thing on their minds -- bicycles according to Bachot. The officer said he made sure to ask one important question before sneaking off to Walmart.
"I did ask if they were naughty or nice and, of course, every kid is just as nice as can be for Santa," Bachot said. "They told me they went to school and were doing well."
Less than two hours later, Bachot returned to Hayden Village with a pair of brightly colored bikes, but Anthony's friend was gone. Gwendolyn had since joined her brother outside to play according to Bachot. He said the little boy's face lit up when he saw his patrol car twice in one day.
"I told him I spoke to Santa and Santa gave me an early Christmas present for him," Bachot said. "When he looked in the backseat, he saw the bikes and asked if it was for him and I said, 'Yeah.' He was so excited."
Bachot said he wanted to take the toys to the children's home so their parents wouldn't think they stole them. Christy Brown, the kid's mother, told ABC News her son said the bikes came from "a friend" when the two rolled up to her doorstep.
"I would like to give [the officer] a hug and thank him because I wasn't able to afford a bike even though that's what they wanted," Brown said.
Brown said she lost the Christmas spirit after her mother died in 2000, but Officer Bachot brought it back.
"I would maybe get them one or two toys because I was missing that piece, but to see that tear from my daughter's eye made me see that's what Christmas is really all about," Brown said. "She said she wished her grandma was here to see the policeman give her the bike."
As for Anthony, Brown said, "you can't get him off the bike."
Since meeting the Alexanders, Bachot started a GoFundMe account to raise money for Toys for Tots to buy Christmas gifts for more children in need.
"Nobody ever became poor from giving too much," Bachot said.
He and the Hammond Police Department hope to raise $5,000.
