RT NewsWhen a teenager called the police to say he didn’t want to live at his house anymore, a local police officer jumped into action. But instead of bringing Child Protective Services, he brought friendship and a bed.
Cameron Simmons, a 13-year-old in Sumter, SC, called police after fighting with his mom and said he was upset and that he didn’t want to live with his family anymore, WIS-TV reports.
Officer Gaetano Acerra responded to the call. “He was a little distraught and upset,” Acerra told WIS-TV. He met Simmons in the parking lot across the street from the Simmons home.
“I said, ‘You have it good, you have a roof over your head’,” Acerra said. “I told him I would try to help him out, and here we are now.”
But a roof over his head is about all Simmons had at home. When Acerra brought the boy back to his house, he realized Simmons’ bedroom was empty. There was no bed, no desk, no dresser. Simmons slept on an inflatable mattress and did his homework on the floor.
“My heart went out for him,” Acerra said. “I thought the little things that he needed I could give him, to make him a happier kid.”
And so Acerra did. He talked to a few people and received cash donations from them, he said. And the officer’s brother, professional fighter Ferdinando Acerra, took up the cause on his Facebook page.
“A Sumter police officer responded to a call. He saw that a young boy was sleeping on a floor because he didn’t have a bed, and did his homework there as well. The officer decided to get this young man a bed to sleep on, a desk to do his homework, and a wii to have some fun. That officer is my little brother and I couldn’t be more proud of that,” the mixed martial artist wrote.
The donations Acerra collected were top of his own money that he planned to use for the cause. He used the money to go shopping at second-hand stores, he told WIS-TV.
He arrived at Simmons’ house on Tuesday with a truck loaded up with a queen-sized bed, a desk, a chair and a TV, CNN Pathline reports. Not only that, after hearing about the boy’s story, someone donated a Wii gaming system, so Acerra brought that too.
Simmons told Acerra that because of the new bed his back won’t hurt anymore and that he was grateful for the gifts.
Acerra says he plans to add a dresser and mirror to Simmons’ budding furniture collection.
“I didn’t do this for publicity or to get people to notice me,” Acerra said to WIS-TV. “I did it because I could. It was the right thing to do and I think people should do things like this.”
The officer gave the teenager his personal cell phone number, and told him that he could call whenever he wants. The two have become friends.
A spokesperson from the Sumter Police Department told WIS-TV that people have called the station to offer to help the Simmons family.
Oh for cryin’ out loud, that picture above with the cop hugging the boy just makes me SICK!!! BLLEECHH!!!!
Oh pUHHLLEASE!!! PIG! PIG! PIG!! Stop the bullshit press! Spare me the bullshit propaganda.
If this is supposed to make me feel better about cops after being assaulted, beaten and tased by them for no reason, as well as being falsely arrested by them, then you’re sadly mistaken.
I trust ZERO cops and everyone else should too if they want to survive another day. And if I were that boy, I’d run and not look back before that cop goes into PMS/Psycho mode on him at any minute.
I agree NC. See my reply to hweinhard below.
Keep the faith NC.
Yep NC we know how cops are.
NC..I understand what you are saying but there are a few good police officers out there…The problem is, there are getting fewer and fewer of them. I find many police officers 45 years old or older are ok..The ones to be afraid of are the ones 35 and under. They were trained and brainwashed differently. The good police officers are pretty much becoming extinct tho.
I am with NC on this. Also, some of the most serious damn pigs are the older ones. The younger ones are just trying to be like the older ones. Yea, if this copwas so good then why doesn`t he bust his fellow cop co-workers like they do others if he was such a good cop. This look like a cheap PR stunt if ya ask me.
A cop is a cop is a cop.
Never trust a cop, take a favor from a cop or talk to a cop. They absolutelu cannot be trusyed. This isn`t like the Mayberry days anymore like it was back in the 50`s and earlier at all.
It is their job to bust people and get convictions in what ever way possible including to break the law to make it look like they are enforcing the law. No such thing a a good honest cop just to be good and honest.
Sorry hweinhard, but I’m going with Digs answer on your cops who are older are better excuse.
“if this copwas so good then why doesn`t he bust his fellow cop co-workers like they do others if he was such a good cop.”
Especially since sergeant McDaniels of the Round Rock police for my incident was at least in their late 40’s, if not older and then there was the older cop officer who stood by as I was being arrested for no reason by the younger cops and he knew it.
Hell, just look at all the police abuse videos on the net. Half of them are in their 40s or 50s with grey hair and smiling like psychos, so your age factor is baloney.
Sorry, and I do understand what you are saying. But this year I had a police officer pull over and help me with a flat tire. It was a truck I wasnt familiar with and the spare was released by something above the license plate. He showed me how to do it. He was awesome, even shook hands etc. Then, about 3 months ago, altho I never drink and drive, after having a few after a gig I played, I was only a couple miles from home, I made a bad decision and drove.. and I did get pulled over. I can handle a police officer after 4-5 beers, but I was extremely tired. I pulled into a private business so they would not tow my car away. I was so sure I was going to jail that I opened my door to get out and just say “take me to jail, I dont want to fight” ..but I closed my door. The police officer asked me, “why did you open and close your door?”…I said in a slurred voice “I have no clue”. After fumbling around for my papers, he told me I was speeding…After reading my “papers”, he said “sorry about your daughter” (actually it was my step daughter of ten years, but I loved her like a daughter she committed suicide at 17)..He told me to go home. So, I took a few backstreets. When I got home, the police officer showed up right in front of my house. He said “get inside safely”. He followed me to make sure I got home safe.. So, sorry if I think there are a few good ones out there.
I’m sorry that I can’t agree with you hweinhard. Don’t ever trust a pig, ever. 99.999999999999999999999999% of these a$$holes are just that, a$$holes looking to “fill their quota” of unfortunate folk who happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time to create a bleep on their radar screen. It takes a sociopath pig a nanosecond to turn from “peace officer” to goon kickin’ your door down moments before he does the same to you at the end of an assault rifle. As diggerdan would say, “a cop is a cop is a cop”. I think you’ve burned your “Get out of jail free card” and the odds are not in your favor the next time “Jonny Law” says “May I see your license, registration, and proof of insurance. “Your papers, please!”
Yes Millard, a cop is a cop because they are arrogant assholes out to take advatage of some one that may not be able to defend themselve physically or financially. Yep, I know that for a fact personally. They just love ruining peoples lives and getting paid for it.
“I think you’ve burned your “Get out of jail free card” and the odds are not in your favor the next time “Jonny Law” says “May I see your license, registration, and proof of insurance. “Your papers, please!””
Agreed. Hweinhard, I think you’ve used up all your “warnings”. In the future, I’m sure you won’t be so lucky.
The only way I can see this happening to you is if they know you or you are someone they can exploit in the future. Cops only care about themselves and their money.
Just my experience.
A transparent, pitiful attempt at improving PR.
If he’s still in uniform after the SHTF, he’ll be a target just like the rest of them.