Officers DIY a Blues Clues Shirt for a Boy with Autism

Parents

Sherry Lynn Hillard's teenage son John has autism, and she had six police officers turn up at her house last week after one of his meltdowns turned to rage. Apparently, John wanted to dress up like Joe from the TV show Blue's Clues, but Sherry couldn't find the shirt he uses to do so anywhere. And that's when the officers stepped in with an amazing show of compassion.

"With so much negativity shown towards law enforcement lately, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to show my appreciation for the empathy these officers had for my son," Hillard explained in a post she later wrote on Facebook. "They showed up not knowing much about autism but they listened and learned while they kept us all safe. They also asked A LOT of questions so they wouldn't do the wrong thing."

So kind! And get this: After calming John down, the officers decided to pay it forward by going out buying a blue shirt and some fabric markers, then trying to craft the actual shirt John wanted to wear—pretty amazing!

"Three officers going above and beyond to help a severely autistic teenage boy!" Hillard explained. "Sadly, it didn't work, but the fact that they were willing to do this for my son made them heroes in my eyes."

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And the acts of kindness don't end there. Because after Sherry's story went viral, an embroidery and screenprinting company named Cutting Edge Designs decided to pitch in and create a new shirt for John.

"A HUGE THANK YOU TO CUTTING EDGE DESIGNS!" Sherry wrote in a follow-up post. "He's finally got his shirt!!!"

Hollee Actman Becker is a freelance writer, blogger, and mom of two who writes about parenting and pop culture. Check out her website holleeactmanbecker.com for more, and then follow her on Instagram