Over the weekend, an unexpected sight greeted patients at Cohen Children's Medical Center in Long Island as Nassau County police officers, descending from the rooftop, wielded the element of surprise to bring holiday cheer. As reported by ABC7NY, these officers rappelled off the Blumenfeld Family Pavilion, waving to patients, and then continued to spread joy one-on-one, delivering gifts to children room by room under the watchful eye of Santa Claus himself, who presided over the festivities from his cherry picker.
Miles away in Bayside, Queens, the NYPD chose to further embark upon a tradition filled with festive spirit at St. Mary’s Hospital for Children on Tuesday. An annual event that the department has committed to since 2013, was designed to create special memories for children grappling with the complexities of long-term medical conditions. PIX11 covered the heartwarming scene, where officers sung carols and facilitated activities such as arts and crafts, while also providing opportunities for the children to interact with NYPD horses.
"Our Bayside facility has 124 medical complex children. And the police department brings a cast of hundreds from all sorts of units from all over the city," Sean Lally, executive vice president of St. Mary's, told PIX11. Amid the celebrations, the visit by Santa Claus stood as a highlight, distributing presents and smiles amidst the young patients. One such patient, 28-year-old Yobani with cerebral palsy, expressed his simple Christmas expectations: "Open gifts with my family, have fun, enjoying Christmas," also hoping for "Maybe a new video game."
Detective Terry Brienza of the NYPD, in a revelation to PIX11 explained the department's initiative, "St. Mary's holds on to these children until young adulthood and tries to rehabilitate to get them back out there." The dedicated celebration underscores St. Mary's commitment to improving the lives of its young patients, as it stands as the largest provider of pediatric long-term and rehabilitative care in New York. These events not only inject a dose of joy but also a vital sense of normalcy during the holiday season.
