Mom Writes Touching Note to Cop Who Knew How to Help Her Son With Autism
A mom in South Carolina wrote a touching thank you message to the highway patrolman who helped her and her son Jeriah, who has autism, when the two were recently stranded on a busy freeway.
The mother, who would like to remain anonymous, expressed how grateful she is in an e-mail sent to Trooper/Lance Cpl. Adam Klimek.
Officer Klimek stopped to help the family when their vehicle broke down on Highway 170 in Beaufort County, and after realizing that Jeriah was stressed out, he knew just what to do.
Not only was it over 90 degrees outside, but Jeriah was getting visibly anxious about the traffic flying by on the road. After helping Jeriah and his mom safely get out of their vehicle, Klimek invited the two inside his patrol car so they could cool off while they waited for the tow truck. Jeriah’s mom says it was around that time that Klimek recognized that her son has autism.
Klimek gave Jeriah a computer and let him watch “Curious George,” and after the tow truck arrived, Klimek offered Jeriah his hat and badge. Jeriah’s mom was able to breathe a sigh of relief, and she joked that Jeriah was having so much fun, he didn’t want to go home.
“[Officer Klimek] also told [Jeriah] that he was officially a patrolman and to make sure that everyone in the car always buckle their seatbelt,” Jeremiah’s mom wrote. “My son had a grin on his face about that.”
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety later shared an excerpt of the mother’s thank you note on Facebook.
In a copy of the e-mail sent to The Mighty, Jeriah’s mom wrote:
Today has been a very trying day. I was traveling with my son home who has autism and our SUV shut off on a very busy highway. If any of you know highway 170 it can be extremely dangerous when it’s time for people to go to work or when they are getting off from work. So of course today was about 92 degrees and I was stuck actually in the road. I called for roadside assistance and they dial 9-1-1 since I was in a dangerous situation. My son was sitting in the seat nearest the highway and getting very antsy.
About 10 minutes later a South Carolina State Trooper came to our rescue. His name is Patrolman Adam Klimek, but to my son he was just officer Adam. After talking and laughing together for about 20 minutes he invited my son and I to get inside his SUV so that we could cool off. Not only that he recognized that my son has autism and was getting upset. He took his electronic device and signed in to Netflix so that my son could watch Curious George. This worked perfectly because it helped him focus on something else. He had been sick that day and just wanted to go home. My son was very happy and of course this was an experience that we will never forget.
After he got us safely off the road and the tow truck came to get our car, officer Adam as my son called him took us to a safe area and I asked if it was okay for him to take a picture with my son. He even offered to let my son wear his official hat and gave him a badge. He also told him that he was officially a patrolman and to make sure that everyone in the car always buckle their seatbelt. My son had a grin on his face about that.
As a mother of children with special needs it is very difficult to get the world to understand what we deal with from day to day. This was a very positive experience that I’d like to share. Before officer Adam left I gave him a hug to tell him thank you so much from the bottom of my heart … He definitely saved the day. Hope you enjoy the picture of my son and officer Adam as he calls him. The funny part is that Jeriah had such a good time he didn’t want to get out of the car. He’s has new friend.