“Management warned him they were going to turn him away, but the 15-year-old kept finding ways to get into the gym. Eventually, the police were called.
Officer Mario Valenti found out that the boy had once had a membership, but his mom could no longer afford it. All he wanted was to play basketball there. Instead of charging him for breaking in, the officer took $150 of his own money and paid for the boy’s membership, which would last for about 4 months.
When the gym owner told the corporate office what happened, they were so moved by the officer’s kindness that they decided to give the boy a membership for two years.
Officer Valenti said, “At the end of the day, it’s not about getting thanks. Most of us became police officers to help people, not hurt them. The job can be tough, and most of the time, we deal with good people having bad days, so we don’t always see the best side of people. I’d rather see him playing basketball than out on the street, possibly getting into trouble.”
Photo courtesy: Mike Isaacs / Pioneer Press
Source: The Inspireist