Bucks County Boy Battling Disability More Than A Hero

By Erika von Tiehl

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A lot of little boys love seeing the flashing lights and hearing the siren of a police car on the road. And Shane Popiny is no different.

Police officers are heroes to this special little boy, but he has no idea that he's a hero to them, too.

At five-years-old, Shane knows exactly what he wants to be when grows up.

"He wants to be a police officer. He adores his father. He really does. And whether he can be a police officer, I don't know. But I'm not going to say 'no' to him because the sky's the limit," Shane's mom Colleen said.

Shane's journey to joining the force will be more difficult, though. It all goes back to his very first minutes of life.

"We had a normal pregnancy, and then we went and had Shane, and Shane turned blue. His coloring was just blue. And the doctor said he was fine," Colleen explained.

Colleen knew something was wrong.

After 10 months, she was finally able to get a referral to a neurologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

"They did an MRI, and he had a stroke. Frontal lobe of his brain," Colleen said.

Shane was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and also suffers from strokes, but that's not stopping him!

"He never gives up. No matter the procedures he has, the surgeries he goes through, the physical, occupational, speech therapy he goes through three times a week at Children's Hospital, the traveling, even hurts his legs, arms, he goes through it with a smile," Shane's dad Brett said.

Shane's parents found out what made him smile early on.

"My husband came home from swat one day, and you could just take off the patches, and he ripped it off and said 'daddy I want more,'" Colleen said.

"Every time he would open that letter or envelope, he would just smile. And it makes him feel good. It makes him feel good that there are other people out there like daddy who support him on his bad days," Brett added.

With dozens of patches, some from as far as Germany and Australia, they enlisted the help of a good friend to make a very special surprise for Shane.

It is a blanket from Beth with all the patches sewn onto it.

"This is for you to take down to CHOP," Beth told Shane.

Shane's parents said he can take his new blanket to CHOP; giving real meaning to security blanket.

"He does go through a lot of therapies, the ability to give him something comfortable that will be there for him," Beth said.

"This police blanket is my favorite and I like it," Shane said holding the blanket.

"He has a great personality, he's a joyful kid. Even if he is in pain, he still continues with a smile," Brett said.

The Popiny family drives a standard minivan, without any handicap capabilities, making it difficult for Shane's parents to get him to his appointments at CHOP, therapy and school.

The Hope For Hero Shane gofundme was launched to help raise money for the family to help them transform their minivan for their son, along with a home that can better assist his everyday needs. Right now the popiny family lives in an apartment, which does not fully accommodate shane's needs.

If you would like to donate, visit: http://www.gofundme.com/d22ruc.

If you are interested in sending patches to Shane, you can mail them to:

Telford Police Department
100 Penn Ave
Telford, PA 18969
Attention: Office Brett Popiny