Green Bay officer helps make child's birthday special

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Daryl Robinson couldn't be more proud to be a Green Bay Police Officer, but he's as humble as they come.

One eight-year-old got to see Officer Robinson's heart after school on Monday when Howe Elementary School called police because the boy was left alone. There was no one to pick him up, no emergency contacts, and his mother was in jail.

"I recognized him from a prior contact probably a couple months before this," said Robinson. "He seemed like he was in good spirits. He was playing around in the office."

Robinson found a number for the boy's grandfather, then got an idea when he learned it was the child's birthday, and asked if he could take him to McDonald's.

"He said yes. So, we brought the eight-year-old out to a squad. He'd never been in a police car before, he was very excited to ride in one," Robinson said.

Robinson bought him a happy meal, and the two talked.

"He was so excited to, I guess, hang out with a police officer and get away for a little bit," Robinson said.

It didn't last long, but the entire time, Robinson remembered memories of his own childhood.

Five years ago, at his swearing in ceremony, pictures of retired Captain Bill Bongle were showed with Robinson when he was a kid.

That convinced Robinson to pursue a life in law enforcement. Now he wants to pay it forward and plans to follow up with the boy and try to be his mentor.

"I wanted the opportunity to do for another kid what he did for me," said Robinson.

The department has been flooded with comments from as far away as Canada, some wanting to send the boy a birthday gift.

Robinson said he did what any officer would do.

"Anything we could do to build that trust and make those connections is great," he said.