John Connors, 90, of Reading, Massachusetts, had enough. His American flag, which he proudly displayed in front of his home for 45 years, was stolen for the second time in several months.
“The other morning I got up and said, ‘Oh my God, it's gone again,’” he said.
Connors is a WWII navy veteran. He says the flag means everything to him.
That's where Detective Michelle Halloran of the Reading Police Department comes in. She happened to be on patrol Monday night when Connors and his wife called police to file a report.
"They said ‘you know, this is it. We're not buying another flag. It's just too much.’ And when I heard that, it really it hurt me, it hurt inside. I drove around looking for the flag. I couldn't find it. So I'm like, ‘you know what? I can solve this easy. I’m just going to go buy them one,’" said Det. Halloran.
She came to this nearby Home Depot and told the manager why she was there. "And he thought about it for a second and he handed it to me and said ‘You know what? You don't need to buy this. I'm giving it to you, compliments of Home Depot.’"
She was floored. “Your heart melts almost. When he said that it really meant something to me.”
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Det. Halloran says she loves her community in Reading and so do her fellow officers. This was just one way to show that she cares.
"The men and women of the Reading Police Department; this is just one example of how we all conduct ourselves. I mean, we all care about the community,” said Det. Halloran.
And one of its longest residents is thankful for that.
"It means a lot to me,” said John Connors. “You're making me tear up."
