3-Year-Old Boy With Heart Disease Named Honorary Police Officer

NORTH ATTLEBORO — A 3-year-old boy was honored for his bravery and courage fighting congenital heart disease when North Attleboro and Randolph Police teamed up and named the boy an honorary police officer.

On Thursday night, over 80 people packed into the North Attleboro Police station to see Mikey Grover receive his honorary officer's badge and some other gifts from the two police departments.

"Mikey was someone that we as police officers wanted on our team," Randolph Police Officer Kevin Gilbert said during the event. "Becoming an honorary officer comes with great responsibility. It is expected that the honorary officer keeps up the fight 24/7, 365 and never gives up, and I’m confident Mikey will do that.”

Mikey's mother Julie Grover pinned the honorary officer's badge on his shirt. Both departments gave Mikey framed patche. State Rep. Elizabeth Poirier presented Mikey with citations from the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Massachusetts State Senate.

The highlight for Mikey was the remote controlled police cruiser he received as a gift from the Randolph Police Department.

Mikey was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a birth defect that affects the flow of blood through the heart, due to sections of the heart being underdeveloped. He was also born with heterotaxy, a rare condition where his major organs were developed in abnormal places in his chest and abdomen.

As a result of his conditions, Mikey has spent much of his young life receiving treatment at Boston Children's Hospital and has already undergone several open heart surgeries.

Through their time at the hospital, Julie Grover came up with an idea to help families going through similar struggles. She called it "Mikey's "Brave Bags."

The gift bags are filled with items like toys, stuffed animals, coloring books, arts and crafts supplies, clothes, children's books, snacks, and more. Mikey's family gave the bags to other families at Boston Children's Hospital.

“We just donated 100 bags in February and we’re going to do more in the fall," said Thomas Grover, Mikey's father. "Thank you to everybody for donating all the goodies. We really appreciate that and I know the other families do too. Because it’s not just for the children, it’s for their siblings and their parents who have to stay there [at the hospital] as well and go through this nightmare that we do.”

Those who would like to donate items to 'Mikey's Brave Bags" can go to the Mikey Strong Facebook page and send a private message about donating for more details.

Following the ceremony, Mikey and some of his family and friends were given a tour of the North Attleboro Police station and Mikey made his first arrest, putting handcuffs on one of the officers and escorting him into a holding cell.

"This is what it's all about," Gilbert said. "Mikey is such a brave kid and we're honored to count him as one of our brothers now."