WPD officer skateboards with students after hand-delivering missing board

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - A few days after Christmas, Officer Perry with the Wilmington Police Department found a brand new skateboard while on patrol. He said he knew how disappointed the kid who lost it would be and took the time to track down the owner.

The skateboards had been donated to the Warner Temple AME Zion Church, where Reverend Clifford Barnett gave them to students. Messiah Rogers, an 8th grader at DC Virgo, was the owner of the missing board and said he didn't expect to see it again.

Officer Perry is a skateboarder himself and said it made returning the board even more special.

"It was brand new, didn't have a board slide on it, and me being a skateboarder I knew what that was. That was someone's Christmas present that they haven't even gotten one ride on," Perry said.

Even before Perry was able to track him down, another student stepped in to help. Messiah's friend Jordan gave him his board to use and said he was happy to do so.

"I gave him my skateboard because he's my friend and I was like I've got to look out for him," Jordan said.

On Thursday, Perry skated with students at DC Virgo.

"We, unfortunately, meet a lot of people on their worst days, but we also try to do as much as we can to give someone their best days," Perry said.

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