Flint Trooper Honored for Special Visit With Young Hurley Patient

It's a sweet story of a hero, a dog, and a young boy that needed a smile. In a world often inundated with headlines of tragedy and sadness, there is a special bright spot from Flint, Michigan, where a State Trooper's kindness made a huge impact on a young patient at Hurley Children's Hospital.

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Ryder Munson, 11 years old from Flushing, was struck by a car while trick-or-treating on Halloween. Ryder suffered serious injuries which led to a stay in Hurley Children's Hospital's Peds Unit & Rehab unit. Understandably a scary time for a young child, Hurley found the perfect way to lift his spirits with a visit from a Michigan State Trooper and his very special partner.

Flint Post Trooper Dennis McGuckin and his K9 partner Dre-ko made their way to Hurley to visit Ryder and what happened next was one for the memory books. The pictures captured during the special visit showed a visit that made Ryder smile and those looking on shed a tear of joy, so much so that the moment was nominated for a special honor.

On February 7th at the MSP biannual Employee Recognition Ceremony Trooper McGuckin received the MSP Community Engagement Photo of the Year award. Photos are submitted

"For me, these are the moments that we work so hard for. These are the moments that we get to see a child forget what they're going through", Brooklyn Kennings, with CMN Programs at Hurley Foundation told us. "Being able to snap that pictures at that moment I will never forget, and seeing the family at that moment meant so much as well".

Ryder is home and on the mend, and Trooper McGuckin is out doing what he does every day to protect and serve with his partner Dre-ko by his side. Sometimes it's the simplest moments that become life-changing.