A police escort pulled up outside a Fall River home on Tuesday, and 16-year-old Norah had no idea what was coming. The teen, who is battling ovarian cancer, was the surprise recipient of a sponsored care package from her hometown police department, delivered in partnership with a nonprofit built specifically to support kids like her.
The Fall River Police Department teamed up with The Hero Package Foundation to deliver the personalized package during Norah’s cancer battle, according to the Fall River Reporter. Norah became the recipient of the foundation’s 253rd Hero Package delivery, the outlet reported, with the whole thing kicked off by a police escort to her home that came as a complete surprise to Norah and her family.
Norah’s package, sponsored by the Fall River Police Department, included books, a bedazzling kit, squishies, and a foundation blanket, per the same account.
A Foundation Built on Police Partnerships
The woman behind the effort, known within the organization as Officer Jen, is tied to the Hero Package Foundation's mission of standing by kids fighting serious illness. Sources differ on the foundation's exact origin story: the Fall River Reporter states it was founded in 2021 by Jennifer Vertentes, a retired Rhode Island police officer known as “Officer Jen,” while WPRI reports that South Kingstown Police Officer Jennifer Pacheco created the organization in 2018, and Turnto10 identifies Pacheco as its founder and says the organization began in February. The discrepancy in names and founding year remains unresolved across the available reporting.
What is consistent across accounts is the foundation’s reach and its message. “No one fights alone,” Vertentes said, per the Fall River Reporter. The outlet also reported that the foundation has supported more than 253 children fighting cancer across the United States, a milestone Norah’s delivery now represents.
Looking ahead, Vertentes announced that she has adopted Norah for the foundation’s 2026 Operation Wish-Mas initiative, meaning the teen's connection to the organization will continue beyond Tuesday's surprise.
Part of a Broader Pattern of Police Giving
Norah's delivery fits into a wider trend of law enforcement involvement with the foundation. WPRI reported that local police departments across Rhode Island, and some in other states, are donating money and toys to support the organization's work, while Turnto10 reported that police departments across the state sponsor care packages for children in treatment. Turnto10 previously detailed care packages delivered to Rhode Island children Annabella Duncan and Scotlyn Winfield, both of whom were receiving cancer care.
The Fall River Police Department has a history of this kind of community support beyond its work with the Hero Package Foundation. The department previously partnered with Cops For Kids With Cancer to support a child named Jadalynn and her family, according to the Fall River Reporter. In that case, retired Officer Thomas Reed presented a donation to the family on behalf of the organization, and the community had raised nearly $9,000 for the family through a GoFundMe campaign.
