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City police Officer Kevin Capach piles presents and candy on a small table in Octavia Shields' Fredericksburg apartment.
Officer Julie Keene, who organized the surprise, folds empty gift boxes as Larry, Mark and Octavia Shields open their Christmas presents.
Larry Shields, 14, opens one of his gifts while younger brother Mark, 10, and mother Octavia examine their own packages. |
HE DAY started badly for Octavia Shields.
She had to explain to her boys that money was tight and Christmas would probably be light on gifts this year.
Her 10-year-old got upset. And the more upset he got, the louder he got, prompting a neighbor to call the police.
And then Fredericksburg police Officer Julie Keene showed up.
"I was in tears," Shields recalled.
Keene said the family's apartment was quiet by the time she arrived, but their plight stuck with her.
"I went out and called one of the girls at the office and said, 'I feel like crying. The kids don't have anything,'" said Keene, a city officer for 15 years. "I said to myself, 'If I could do something little for these kids, I think it could make a big difference.'"
It was only 10 days before Christmas, and Keene didn't have much time. While the Police Department couldn't sponsor the family, Keene's co-workers and friends pooled money from their own pockets to make Christmas happen for the family.
With Octavia Shields' permission, Keene stocked up on heavy-duty winter shoes, fleece jackets, books, games and action figures for the boys. She recruited two dispatchers who have kids of their own to help her pick out the goodies.
"They were so helpful," said Keene, who does not have children. "I didn't know what the heck I was doing at all."
By Christmas Eve, Keene's living room was crowded with gifts for Larry, 14, and Mark, 10. While she treated them to a movie, fellow Officer Kevin Capach and Sgt. Paul Peterson picked up the packages at Keene's home and delivered them to the Shields' apartment.
While "It's a Wonderful Life" played on the television set, the officers set up a small Christmas tree in the family room and hemmed it in with gifts.
"I'm overwhelmed," said Shields. "I am really overwhelmed."
Her boys, she said, knew nothing of the gifts. They were just excited about seeing "Lord of the Rings" with Keene.
"Julie has been great. She's been awesome," said Shields. "They'd been kind of glum. But since she's come by some days to check on them, I've really seen a change in them."
About 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Keene and the boys strolled in to find the apartment overflowing with gifts.
"Thank you," Larry said softly, not sure if he should disrupt the pile.
Mark pulled his jacket up around his eyes before squeezing into a corner near the small tree. With a little prodding from Keene, he began opening presents, soon disappearing into a small mountain of wrapping paper.
"With Mark, you've got to look at his eyes," said Shields, who is visually impaired. "His eyes tell the whole story."
Sure enough, Mark's eyes sparkled as he opened packages of Dragon Ball Z action figures. Larry, who likes to read and play basketball, got an entire set of J.R.R. Tolkien books and size-12 Faded Glory shoes.
Even mom ended up with some surprises: black gloves and a hat to match her winter coat.
Shields said she's trying to get her family on its feet again. After falling and injuring herself on the job at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, several years ago, Shields said she has had trouble finding a full-time job. She has a bachelor's degree in math and computer science from Hampton University, and she plans to take graduate courses at Strayer University in the coming months.
"I think by me going back [to school], it'll be an incentive to the boys," she said. "They'll see me studying."
Larry is already a James Farmer Scholar at James Monroe High school who talks about going to college, and Mark made the honor roll at Walker-Grant Middle School, Shields said.
She and her sons hope to return Keene's generosity, perhaps in the form of volunteer service to the community, Shields said.
"Any kind of volunteer anything, we'll sign up," she said.
By 11:30 p.m., the family's apartment was littered with empty boxes and wadded-up balls of Christmas wrap. It was time for Keene to go home.
"Yeah," she said, pumping her fist after leaving the Shields home. "It makes me feel so good to be able to do something."
