Letter: Zionsville police officer reunites teen with lost Christmas gift

0

Editor, 

We are faithful readers of the Current and feel that your articles highlight real people, personify exceptional actions and symbolize community. I would like to share our story with you in hopes that you find this an inspiration for your readers. My story is about a Zionsville police officer, who tracked down and returned our son’s treasured Christmas present.

20170302 163814
Anjanette Jones (right) with her son and his drone, found and returned to him by a local police officer. (Submitted photo)

On Monday, Feb. 27 at 6:30 a.m., we were startled by a Zionsville police officer at the front door, asking if a Zionsville Middle School student resided in our home. What could have been every parent’s nightmare turned into an unexpected, joyous surprise. Sergeant Joseph Robinson asked if our son was the owner of a drone he had found in the woods while hunting deer antlers. Stunned and not sure how to respond; the officer proceeded to pull out what we believed to be our son’s lost and gone-forever drone.

Perplexed as to how the officer connected our son to his misplaced drone, he explained how he viewed footage from the SIM card to locate the area of origin. After driving through our neighborhood and reaching out to neighbors, he was able to identify our house and deliver the drone (in perfect condition) to our son.

The drone had been lost on Feb. 11 in an attempt to capture a full moon and a lunar eclipse, when a strong wind surged, launching the drone out of radar. After a three-hour search, we returned home empty handed and discouraged. Our son was crushed.

The drone was a treasured gift from this past Christmas and growing hobby for our son. This gift had been earned, after many hours of flying and honing skills to fly an aircraft of this complexity. This was a special gift and would not be immediately replaced. Our son understood that he would have to raise the money to replace it; so he began soliciting odd jobs in the neighborhood.

To have the drone delivered home safely was an unexpected gift, and we are greatly appreciative. Sgt. Joseph Robinson’s determination to help a complete stranger has inspired my son to help others and be creative in the approach.

Negative news is often overshadowed by random acts of kindness, minimizing the need for unsung heroes. As a mother of a teen I search for exemplar behavior to share with my son in hope that it will inspire him to follow in their footsteps and cultivate a good citizen. This is a perfect example.

Longing to give our son the childhood my husband and I had growing up in Indiana, we moved to Zionsville 6 years ago from the Chicagoland area. We hoped to raise our son in a safe environment and caring community. While we felt that we had relocated to the perfect area, it was not until this week that our belief was confirmed.

I would like to recognize Sgt. Joseph Robinson for going above and beyond the call of duty and thank him for taking time out of his day to return our son’s beloved Christmas gift. Sergeant Joseph Robinson is a role model for us all and a reminder to “pay it forward”. We are fortunate to have him in our community and watching over the citizens of Zionsville, Indiana.

Anjanette Jones, Zionsville


Current Morning Briefing Logo

Stay CURRENT with our daily newsletter (M-F) and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox for free!

Select list(s) to subscribe to



By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Share.

Current Morning Briefing Logo

Stay CURRENT with our daily newsletter (M-F) and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox for free!

Select list(s) to subscribe to



By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact