STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – A routine traffic stop in Sterling Heights turned into an extraordinary display of community support for a family whose child is battling spinal cancer.
When Sterling Heights police officers investigated an occupied vehicle outside the Extended Stay America Suites hotel, they had no idea their interaction would raise thousands of dollars for a family in need.
The Brown family, from Iron Mountain in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, had been staying at the hotel while their 4-year-old son, Zayden, underwent radiation treatment in Royal Oak following the removal of a spinal tumor.
Since Medicaid doesn’t cover his treatment at out-of-state hospitals, the family has to travel to the Metro Detroit area, which is closer to them.
In a remarkable twist of fate, one of the responding officers had survived the same type of cancer at the same hospital where Zayden was receiving treatment.
“Once he overheard us talking, it’s like, wow, here’s an officer who endured the exact same thing in the exact same spot as Zayden,” said Juron Brown, Zayden’s father. “So it was kind of awesome having that empathy and him being able to talk to him.”
The encounter sparked a chain reaction of generosity within the police department.
Officers initially raised $500 for the family and secured an additional $100 donation from Walmart.
They surprised the family with the donation at their hotel - but their efforts didn’t stop there.
By reaching out to local businesses, the department raised more than $8,400 by the following day.
Zayden’s parents, who have four other children, say the money felt like a godsend. Brown has been on medical leave for three months during Zayden’s treatment, making DoorDash deliveries to make ends meet and falling behind on rent.
“I definitely had to cry because it was just like, ' What are we going to do, we’re getting in desolation.’ We have three other children back home that are in their teens, and it’s just a lot,” said Zayden’s mother, Lauren Donaldson.
“We brought him here and said, ‘Hey, listen, you’re not going to be DoorDashing anymore. Just focus on taking care of Zayden,’” said officer Brenden Harrison, who helped collect donations for the family.
“Sometimes you get to run into these calls, and you realize this isn’t a job, this isn’t a career, this is a calling,” Harrison said.
Zayden completed his final treatment this week, and the Brown family has found a new home away from home.
“Just the respect that I have for this community, I was like, ' Wow, this is home away from home now,’” Donaldson said.
The Brown family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover Zayden’s medical expenses and raise awareness of the need for cross-border funding for state-sponsored insurance.
You can learn more about Zayden’s story here.