Kolton Hessman always wanted to be a policeman, but the 3-year-old never got the chance.
After waiting six months at the Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville for a new heart, Hessman died on Wednesday afternoon.
But thanks to Tennessee police officers, Hessman's ride back to his native Knoxville was special. The Hendersonville Police Department honored the boy with a procession home to East Tennessee, WSMV reported.
"He's going to love it. This is what he wanted to do. He always wanted to be a police officer," said the boy’s father, Grant Hessman.
While in the hospital, Kolton received badges from departments across the country, including Boston and the Department of Safety, WSMV reported. He was surrounded by those badges and toy police cars when he died after being taken off life support.
"He just never complained, that's what amazed us," Grant Hessman said. "I think he is just totally going to enjoy this ride home. I feel good the pain is now over."
The family made it safely home to Knoxville on Wednesday night.
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