Middletown Mom: Police Officer Was An Angel To My Son With Autism

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Mondays are hard.

And this Monday morning was very hard for a local six-year-old boy who refused to get on the school bus until a Middletown police officer showed up, gave him a fist bump and — miraculously — stopped his crying and got the boy off to school.

And now the boy's mom is desperate to find that officer and make sure he gets the thanks and recognition he deserves.

It was 8:15 a.m. on Main Street in Port Monmouth, said the mom, Theresa (she wanted her last name withheld to protect her son's privacy). Her son, Jimmy, just turned 6 and is in the first grade at New Monmouth Elementary. School just started last week for Middletown kids; Jimmy, who has autism, so far likes the routine of getting on the bus each day, said his mom.

Not this morning.

"He just started having a huge meltdown, really crying and screaming, 'No, I won't get on the bus! No, I won't do it!'" she said. "As any mom who's been there knows, I was at my wit's end. And of course, for our children with special needs, we don't know what they are experiencing or feeling in that moment. It was so tough. Jimmy is such a sweet and kind boy, but I can't tell you the number of stores we've had to leave (because of similar crying incidents)."

It was the height of rush hour, on a very busy road. A long line of cars had started to form on either side of the bus. Some were honking.

"I did not know what to do. I was in my pajamas and not wearing shoes and trust me, the last thing I wanted to do was run out into the street. But that's what I had to do," she said.

Theresa took her screaming and crying son (he's the youngest of five), back in the house and was about to call up to her husband, who just got off the midnight shift, and ask him what to do.

She was standing on her stoop when she saw a Middletown patrolman strolling towards her. She thought he was going to reprimand her for tying up traffic so badly.

Instead, the officer approached Jimmy.

"He said so kindly, 'Hey bud, can I get a fist bump?' My son, still crying, looked at him and just smiled. Having autism, he loves anything with wheels and cars and he loves police officers, so he was in awe of this man, just staring at him. He gave him a fist bump, still crying. And then the officer started talking to him like, What's your name? Wow, you're going to school — look at you! You would think he was talking to his own child. And then they both just calmly walked to the bus together and Jimmy got on."

Theresa said both she and the bus driver were in tears.

The officer walked away before she could even thank him. Theresa said she later got a call from her son's teacher, saying Jimmy was very excitedly telling his teachers about "the policeman he met" this morning.

Right after this happened Monday morning, she posted on a Middletown community Facebook page to try and find the officer.

"All I know is his name is Officer Jennings," Theresa told Patch. "I just want him to know how much I thank him with all my heart and that he is making a huge difference out there."

Theresa said Officer Jennings is the family's angel.

"It was amazing. I am so filled with gratitude right now," she said. "There are good people out there and I was blessed to meet one this morning."

The Middletown Police Department did not immediately get back to Patch with Officer Jennings' first name.

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