COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Walled Lake Northern High School students collected over 5,000 presents for students at Allendale Elementary School. They say they feel every student deserves a good Christmas.
After 10 years of collecting gifts for elementary schools around the area, the drive for Allendale on Thursday broke the record for their largest collection yet. Over 900 boxes were filled with six items each: three to fulfill the students' needs along with three of their wishes.
"It's really cool seeing the looks on all the kids' faces and how surprised they are and appreciative they are of all of this." said Jesse Berman, senior and student council president at Walled Lake Northern High School.
The high school students enlisted the help of their community to gather items and wrap presents.
The generosity of the students holds a deeper meaning in the hearts of Melvindale police officers. The 8-year-old brother of Officer Mohamed Said, who was killed in the line of duty in July, was one of the kids at school who received presents.
Said is survived by his two younger brothers.
"I was wishing my brother was here to see all of this because that's why he wanted to do (it) for his whole life. And that's why he was doing (it) when he was being a police officer," Said's other brother Ahmed said.
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As all the kids opened their presents, Ahmed Said and officers said that this act of kindness made the entire community's holiday a little brighter.
"By seeing these gifts, it reminded me of him. He would have been here — he was here. He would have been happy," said Ahmed Said.
