An Unexpected Stop, an Unforgettable Memory

Sergeant Michael Estevez tells six-year-old Liam about the Challenge Coin as he presents it to him. -Photo: LOPD

By Tami Stevenson

Liam and his father, Eric Freeman, came from Louisiana to visit Universal Studios last week. On their trip back they found themselves in Live Oak for the first time.

Eric Freeman said they loved the small town atmosphere and the friendly people. Being of a military background, he decided to stop by the Live Oak Police Department (LOPD) and introduce his son to some police officers.

     The LOPD posted some photos of their visit on social media. They rolled out the red carpet for Liam, taking him on a tour, sitting in the driver’s seat of a police car, running the siren and all that comes with an experience like that.

     Yesterday, Liam’s father told the Suwannee Valley Times they gave his son a Challenge Coin along with other souvenirs to remember them by, and the six-year-old has not stopped talking about Live Oak since they left.

   “Turns out Liam has had a pretty hard time of it these last couple of years, he lost his mother and a brother. His dad said they were taking this trip on a mission to build memories together,” said Captain Jason Rountree. “Liam took a tour through our cars, saw a police drone and how that worked, received a Challenge Coin, a shoulder patch and a pair of LOPD glasses,” Rountree posted on social media. “But I think our guys in patrol received the greater gift.”

     Liam’s father told SVT he wouldn’t mind sharing some of the details of these tragedies in hopes it might help someone else.    

     Liam’s mother passed away in July of last year, from a car accident due to a young girl texting and driving. Then his older brother passed away from suicide this last Father’s Day.

     Liam’s father decided it might be good for them to take a little vacation from regular life and visit Universal Studios for the first time. He is the business owner of a heating and air conditioning business called ‘Rooted’ (that quotes Colossians 2:6-7 in the logo). They packed their bags and planned a fun-filled trip to Florida.    

     “He’s never been to anything like that,” Freeman said, “and he thought it was amazing. Hadn’t seen him laugh like that in a long time.”

     He said they weren’t even in Live Oak a couple hours and already loved the town and plans to come back soon to explore more of Live Oak.

     Liam loves the LOPD sunglasses so much, his father said he’s barely taken them off since they left Live Oak.

     What began as a father-and-son trip to make some much-needed happy memories turned into something neither of them expected—a little stop in Live Oak that left a mighty big impression. For Liam, it was police cars, sirens, a challenge coin and a treasured pair of LOPD sunglasses. For his father, it was the kindness shown to his son by a group of officers who had no idea what the little boy had been through when he walked through their door.

     Sometimes the best memories aren’t the ones carefully planned or found at the biggest attractions, sometimes they’re waiting in a small town along the road home, where a few friendly faces take the time to make a six-year-old boy feel like a special VIP.

Liam sporting Officer Pallmater's vest! -Photo by Eric Freeman

L-R: Sergeant Michael Estevez, Officer Derek Williams, Officer Eduardo Gamez, Sgt Michael Delsasso, Officer Cody Pallmater, Officer Nicholas Howard, and Liam, center. -Photo: LOPD