City of Mesa Police Department/FacebookOn some days, a craving for your favourite fast food will take over, leaving you helpless to resist and willing to do anything to scratch that salty itch.
And for one adorable little boy from Arizona, one thing led to another and he ended up calling 911 dispatches for a McDonald’s Happy Meal.
Amazingly, five-year-old Charlie Skabelund ended up getting his Happy Meal hand-delivered by a kind-hearted officer who opted to turn the mix-up into a teachable moment.
Find out more about Charlie’s story in the following clip:
In hilarious audio that has since been shared by the Mesa Police Department, young Charlie can heard enquiring whether if he was speaking with McDonald’s, with dispatcher Anthony Bonilla asking, ‘Do you have an emergency?’
Charlie simply replied, ‘One Mc-Happy Meal’ before hanging up. In a follow-up call, Bonilla told Charlie’s dad, Randy Skabelund, an officer would be stopping by for a welfare check, picking up a Happy Meal en route.
Just 15 minutes later, Officer Randolph ‘Scott’ Valdez rocked up to the family home, carrying a freshly ordered cheeseburger with him. And, in another sweet twist to the tale, the meal hadn’t even been meant for Charlie, with the caring boy ordering in a burger for his little sister, Jadyn.
Charlie’s mum Kim told Today:
That’s what Jadyn gets. Charlie only eats the chicken nuggets, he’s always looking out for Jadyn.
This past Sunday 5 year old Charlie dialed 911 to order a Happy Meal 😀Officer Valdez was dispatched to ensure the 911…
Posted by City of Mesa Police Department on Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Kim said Officer Valdez ‘couldn’t have been nicer’ as he explained the rules of 911 with her son:
He explained how if he’s busy bringing Happy Meals to kids, he can’t help people who really need him.
A photograph of Officer Valdez and Charlie standing outside the Skabelund home has since gone viral, with hearts melting all over the place at the sight of Charlie’s delighted face.
Many have praised the way Officer Valdez dealt with the situation, gently educating the youngster about the importance of using 911 correctly.
In a statement made to The Arizona Republic, Chief Ramon Batista said:
We are very proud of how Officer Valdez and Dispatcher Anthony Bonilla responded. They showed compassion and concern for a young Mesa community member and turned this encounter into a teaching moment.
Officer Valdez took time with this young boy, to share the importance of 911 and its proper use for emergencies only.
It’s another example of the character and strength of our Mesa Police Department. It’s our hope that this positive encounter with the Mesa Police Department will make a lasting impression with Charlie and the rest of our Mesa community.
City of Mesa Police Department/FacebookWhat a McHappy Ending!
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.