By Melissa Grant
The brave Pakenham boy, who has cystic fibrosis, epilepsy and a disease so rare he is the only known sufferer, harbours dreams of becoming a police diver.
So when the Starlight Foundation crowned him cop for a day, a visit to Victoria Police Search and Water Rescue facility was in order.
The nine-year-old’s day on the beat began at the Pakenham Emergency Services Complex where he got to see a gun, flash the lights on a police car and sound the siren on a CFA tanker.
Samual was ecstatic about his day in police uniform – a far cry from the many days he spends in hospital each year.
“He couldn’t believe it – he was dumbfounded,” his father Michael said.
The Chairo Christian School student was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth and is the only one in the world who has unbalanced chromosomal translocation of chromosomes 3 and 16. This causes developmental and speech delay, as well as a heart defect.
Despite having more than 40 outpatient appointments and being in hospital an average 12 times a year, Samual maintains a bright and bubbly personality.
His mother, Nola, said all Samual wanted to be was an “underwater police car,” more commonly known as a police diver.
“For everything he goes through, nothing fazes him.”
In fact, Samual is more concerned about his peers.
“At school he’s named as the prayer child,” Mrs Ellis said.
“If someone has no-one to play with or has fallen over, he’s the first one there.”
And Samual’s empathetic nature was shown when he said goodbye to Leading Senior Constable Jim Wilson of Pakenham Police.
“I hope no-one gets into trouble,” he said.
After leaving the Pakenham Emergency Services Complex, Samual popped into the Police Academy where he saw recruits being put through their paces.
Sergeant Adrian Keltie said the visit to the academy gave Samual a great insight to police training. “Victoria Police officers have to complete 20 weeks of intensive training to gain the strength and courage required to police our streets. What is amazing is that this strength and courage is already shown by young Samual on a daily basis,” he said.
Samual finished off the day with a visit to the Victoria Police Search and Rescue Water Police facility at Williamstown where he got to steer a police vessel and see “underwater police cars.”
Samual’s police experience coincided with Starlight Day, the foundation’s major annual fund-raising day.
To donate or find out more about the Starlight Foundation visit www.starlight.org.au
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