This week’s “Thankful Thursday’ would like to honor 10-year-old Tyler Carach from Bratt, Florida who at 8 years old wanted to thank cops across the nation with doughnuts.  While at a coffee shop with his mother, he asked if he could buy donuts for four deputies who were eating there. Tyler said, “I wanted to thank police officers because they risk their lives every day for total strangers and their families. To date, Tyler and his mother, Sheena Carach have travelled to 40 states delivering 70,000 donuts to police officers. Dunkin Donuts is a proud sponsor of Tyler’s mission and has supported him by supplying many of the donuts.

Sheena Carach served with the Suffolk Police Department and wanted to support her son’s idea. About 2 years ago, they started a GoFundMe page to help kick-start their travels but now they cover their travel expenses themselves.  

According to his mother, Tyler has managed to keep up his homework while on the road and has learned to navigate his busy and exciting lifestyle.  Tyler has expressed a desire to be a police officer. Sheena is hoping that through all this, Tyler learns to be the best police officer that he can be when that time comes for him.

Tyler, while wearing a cape that read, “I donut need a reason to thank a cop” addressed a group of Providence, Rhode Island police officers during roll call.  While Officers Gerry Kue and Deanna Johnson ate their donuts, they felt so appreciated. Officer Kue said, “It’s good for a change to have people actually embrace what we do,”  Officer Johnson further added that people need to realize that we’re people too and you can’t do this job if you don’t have feelings.

Sheena Carach hopes to create a nonprofit to continue the initiative and come up with other ways to show their appreciation for law enforcement. Humankind Alliance is inspired by this story. The issue of law enforcement and community relations has become highly polarized, placing law enforcement on one side and civilians on the other. In reality, we are all community members in search of the same solutions. Tyler and Sheena’s incredible act of appreciation breaks down the “us vs. them” mentality and is a beautiful showing of true human kindness.