On December 18th,
2012, I was honored to be able to hand
out gifts at Walter
Reed National
Military Medical
Center on behalf of the
Wrentham Police Association the Wrentham Police Department, and the
Massachusetts Coalition of Police. It is
not often that I am so moved as to sit and write about an experience, this was
a moment worthy of documentation and of telling.
Several weeks ago
I was asked by a friend in the law enforcement community for a contribution
intended for our Nation’s wounded warriors at Walter Reed
Hospital . My organization was glad to contribute and I
was honored to travel to Washington ,
D.C. to meet some of these
heroes.



“Merry Christmas,”I said to one young man in a uniform whose hands were trembling as he held a small stuffed teddy bear. “Merry Christmas, sir” he said without taking his eyes of the toy. His hands shook and his speech was slow and deliberate. There was a long scar on the side of his head plainly visible through his close cropped military haircut. “I have three babies at home,”he told me has he held the bear. “I have a seven year old son and two daughters; three and two.” He was smiling. I said, “Well you can’t just take one bear or the other two will be jealous,” and laughed. The soldier replied slowly and deliberately, “Well, I can’t take more than one because what if someone else wants one for their child?”
I put three bears in a plastic bag for the soldier and told him we had a whole box full of these bears for others if they want them. He said, “Thank you so much, sir, my little ones will be so happy.” We did not really have another box and the bears he took for his children were three of only four we had to give away. This man sacrificed himself for us; for America ; for his own precious children. All I could do is hand him three teddy bears for his kids and wish him a merry Christmas and thank him for his tremendous sacrifice for me. He said before he left, “Thank you so much for all of this,” and smiled. He started to walk away from the tables without taking anything for himself despite my urging him to take something. “I’m all set! Thank you,” he said smiling, holding the plastic bag with the three bears inside like it was a trophy.
No sir, thank you and everyone here, Merry Christmas.
Sgt. James Barrett
President
Wrentham Police Association