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'WHEELIE' GOOD DAY!
2 officers replace little boy's stolen bike
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
A 6-year-old Jersey City boy was punched in the face when robbers took his bike, but two thoughtful Hudson County sheriff's officers turned the boy's trauma into gladness when they surprised him with a brand new bike the next day.
Haytham Merimi still had a faint black and blue mark on his left cheek yesterday, but his smile outshined it.
"I like it a lot and I like the sheriff's officers a lot, too," said Haytham yesterday of Sgt. Jose Gonzalez, Officer Bruce Miller and his electric green-colored "Rhino."
On Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Haythem was in Lincoln Park with family members when a group of boys approached him. One of them punched him in the face and they took his bike. Haythem said he threw up as they left with his bike.
Miller and Officer Daniel River were dispatched and the boy pulled at Miller's heart strings. They said Haytham was brave during the interview and didn't cry, not at first anyway.
"He asked Miller to call him when his bike was found," said Gonzalez yesterday. "The officers were honest and said they didn't know if they would find it and the boy started crying. Miller told him he would try really hard to find the bike, and the boy hugged him."
Back at the Sheriff's Office Miller told Gonzalez what happened.
"I told Officer Miller, 'Let's buy the child a bike' and Miller said, 'I was thinking the same thing,'" Gonzalez said. "I told him to buy the bike and we'd split the cost. Beauty of it was it was the same kind of bike the boy had.
"We went to the boy's house (Sunday) and gave it to him. He was really happy and his father kept saying 'I can't believe this.'"
The boy's father, Hassan Merimi, came from Morocco seven years ago and he works in a Brooklyn deli. He said he took Haytham back to the park Sunday to show him it was OK. He said his son was very traumatized from the robbery but the bike turned that around.
"Their kindness amazed us because (Haytham) changed suddenly and he was better," the father said.
Gonzalez said he and Miller bought Haytham the bike for that exact reason.
"Anything that happens to a child, if it is something traumatic, I don't think they forget it," Gonzalez said. The sergeant said Haytham can remember that "Yeah, something bad happened, but those nice officers, they gave me a bike."
Great job, guys.
2 officers replace little boy's stolen bike
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
A 6-year-old Jersey City boy was punched in the face when robbers took his bike, but two thoughtful Hudson County sheriff's officers turned the boy's trauma into gladness when they surprised him with a brand new bike the next day.
Haytham Merimi still had a faint black and blue mark on his left cheek yesterday, but his smile outshined it.
"I like it a lot and I like the sheriff's officers a lot, too," said Haytham yesterday of Sgt. Jose Gonzalez, Officer Bruce Miller and his electric green-colored "Rhino."
On Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Haythem was in Lincoln Park with family members when a group of boys approached him. One of them punched him in the face and they took his bike. Haythem said he threw up as they left with his bike.
Miller and Officer Daniel River were dispatched and the boy pulled at Miller's heart strings. They said Haytham was brave during the interview and didn't cry, not at first anyway.
"He asked Miller to call him when his bike was found," said Gonzalez yesterday. "The officers were honest and said they didn't know if they would find it and the boy started crying. Miller told him he would try really hard to find the bike, and the boy hugged him."
Back at the Sheriff's Office Miller told Gonzalez what happened.
"I told Officer Miller, 'Let's buy the child a bike' and Miller said, 'I was thinking the same thing,'" Gonzalez said. "I told him to buy the bike and we'd split the cost. Beauty of it was it was the same kind of bike the boy had.
"We went to the boy's house (Sunday) and gave it to him. He was really happy and his father kept saying 'I can't believe this.'"
The boy's father, Hassan Merimi, came from Morocco seven years ago and he works in a Brooklyn deli. He said he took Haytham back to the park Sunday to show him it was OK. He said his son was very traumatized from the robbery but the bike turned that around.
"Their kindness amazed us because (Haytham) changed suddenly and he was better," the father said.
Gonzalez said he and Miller bought Haytham the bike for that exact reason.
"Anything that happens to a child, if it is something traumatic, I don't think they forget it," Gonzalez said. The sergeant said Haytham can remember that "Yeah, something bad happened, but those nice officers, they gave me a bike."
Great job, guys.
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