Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington sent deputies down to south Louisiana last week to help law enforcement agencies in and around Baton Rouge and Denham Springs.
Their assignment was to keep their eyes out for looters and to assist those law enforcement agencies responding to the needs of the community that was devastated by historic flooding.
Here is a story we received from a family in Denham Springs who was touched by the compassion and service of one of our own deputies, Ryan Rhodes:
From: The Wise Family, Denham Springs LA
“The following pictures were taken today, August 27, 2016.
It’s been 13 days since our family lost everything in the flood. We live in Denham Springs, Louisiana. We were outside with our little girl while she was playing. She loves the outdoors. Her name is Aubree Wise and she is 6 years old. Aubree has Down syndrome and had open heart bypass surgery May 25th this year at the children’s hospital in Nola. She was supposed to start her first day of kindergarten the Friday before the flood. However, she was unable to start that morning due to the inclement weather warnings. Little did we know how devastating this inclement weather would become.
Bossier Parish SO as well as St. Tammany Parish SO have been diligently patrolling our little neighborhood day in and day out since just after the flood. I was able to stop one of your deputies earlier and thank him for everything he’s been doing for us. He was in a black suv and had dark short hair. I could kick myself for not getting his name.
Then Prince Charming showed up out of the blue. He saw my little girl playing outside, stopped, got out and came up to introduce himself and gave her a little stuffed dinosaur. (Which she has NOT put down since he left).
His name is Ryan Rhodes.
As a mom, and as someone who’s family has lost everything, this man…this wonderful, beautiful, thoughtful, blessing of a man, stopped and took the time to give my sweet little angel a big hug and a stuffed dinosaur. I can barely type, there are tears in my eyes.
From the bottom of our hearts, I want all of you at the Bossier Parish SO to know how deeply grateful, blessed and appreciative we are to have you here protecting us during this devastating time.
And especially to Ryan Rhodes, you are definitely my little girl Aubrees Prince Charming. You, your co-workers and your family should be ever so proud of you. You have touched our hearts and we will never forget this.”
