CAPE CORAL, Fla — It was all a big surprise to 6 year-old Kayden Kafka.
When his mom pulled into the parking lot of the Cape Coral Police Department, he asked her "Are we going here?"
He had asked her numerous times over the years to visit the police department.
But this was more than a visit.
"I said, 'No Cayden, we're here for you,'" says his mom Stephanie Kafka.
"You get to be a police officer."
"His mouth just dropped," she said - adding that he was "speechless."
The surprise, coordinated by the Kids Wish Networkmeant the Police Chief would "swear in" Kayden as an honorary junior police officer.
"We want people to see this and be inspired by Kayden," says David Klevenger with the Kids Wish Network.
"To see his adversities and still see a smile on his face."
Those adversities are energy-sapping conditions that keep from him eating the way most 6 years-old's do.
"Kayden has to be fed by a feeding tube for his nutrition," says his mom.
She says it was about 4 years ago when his fascination with first responders really took off.
He was very sick at the time.
"When he was in the hospital with mitochondrial disease and gastroparesis, he would look out the window and see an ambulance and officers and say, 'I want to be a hero just like them," she says.
"This is his dream come true."
