'I Wanna Save The World': 6-Year-Old Boys Sworn Into New Jersey State Police Department Through Make-A-Wish Foundation
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A special Make-A-Wish was granted for two 6-year-olds fighting different illnesses Tuesday as they got sworn into the New Jersey State Police Department, cruising with cops from across our area.
A police motorcade enters the Make-A-Wish New Jersey castle, followed by an aviation flyover for a special ceremony swearing in two new troopers.
It's a wish granted for 6-year-olds Samaree Johnson and Dalton Swain with the help of New Jersey State Police Col. Patrick Callahan.
"There's 179 recruits at the academy in Sea Girt. They have a ways to go, but we put you two at the head of the class," Callahan told the kids.
These two strong little boys are battling different illnesses.
Samaree has blood disorder, sickle cell.
"Samaree doesn't have a spleen or a gall bladder, and he has acute chest syndrome where he has crisis in his lungs," said Dejanae Tart Davis, Samaree's mom.
"They said he wasn't gonna live long, but my baby gonna live long," said Nakeema Davis, Samaree's stepmother.
Dalton has autism and epilepsy. He started having seizures at 2 years old.
This is a good day.
"He's going to be talking about this nonstop," Dalton's mother, Amanda Campbell, told CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis.
More than 100 officers from about 50 departments from the local, county, state and federal level helped celebrate these two new troopers.
Each gave the boys badges from their departments.
They even got a K-9 salute.
"You are heroes, every single one of you, evidenced by these two young boys' wishes," said Tom Weatherall, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish New Jersey.
"I wanna be a police officer to protect our city," Dalton said.
"I wanna save the world and lock people up," Samaree said.
The new troopers got right to work, tasked with tracking down the suspect who "stole" a magic crystal from the castle's wish-granting room.
They were successful, making an arrest and returning the crystal.
With smiles from ear to ear, both boys are cruising away with an experience they will never forget.
Organizers say these wishes are extra special because the founding of Make-A-Wish in 1980 was inspired by a 7-year-old Arizona boy who, just like Dalton and Samaree, wanted to be a police officer.
Make-A-Wish says since then, over 500,000 children with critical illnesses have had their wishes fulfilled through the foundation.
