Las Vegas police deliver surprise Thanksgiving dinner kits

Juan Serrano’s heart dropped Monday when he awakened by a loud pounding on his front door.

He wasn’t expecting anyone that morning, but he said he could hear more than one voice on the other side of the door. Worried and nervous, the single father peered over his shoulder at his sleeping 3-year-old son.

And then his phone rang.

“Can you come outside? We have a surprise for you,” his property manager said over the phone, almost squealing in excitement.

A confused and apprehensive Serrano slowly opened the front door. To his surprise, Metropolitan Police Department officer Darryl McDonald’s goofy smile came into view.

The Spring Valley area command officer stood in his doorway armed with a frozen turkey in one hand and a large bag of food in the other.

Laughing, he asked, “You didn’t expect this, did you?”

Serrano and his son were one of 65 families nominated by local community members to receive Metro’s surprise Thanksgiving dinner kits. On Monday at least eight Spring Valley area command units delivered the food to their doorsteps.

Lisa Segura said nominating her tenant was a no-brainer.

“He’s just down on his luck, but he’s a good man,” said the property manager of the Emerald Park Apartments near Sahara and Pennwood avenues.

But for the 25-year-old father, the upcoming holiday left him with a difficult decision to make. With his son’s birthday and Thanksgiving less than a week apart, Serrano knew he could afford to celebrate only one or the other.

“This is our first year that we’ve gotten to really enjoy the holidays together,” he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Serrano said he ultimately chose to celebrate his son’s birthday and to instead treat Thanksgiving like a normal Thursday.

He looked down at his son, who was sitting on his lap inside their apartment.

“When his mom was around, she always wanted to go out without the baby. It was always about her,” he recalled, stroking his son’s back. “Her excuse was that he would get sick because he’s a special needs child.”

This month marks nearly a year since Juan Serrano Jr.’s mother walked out on them, he said.

“It’s been a rough year, but we’re better off,” he said, smiling. “I never expected this food was coming, but this actually means a lot, because not only do the police serve and protect, but it lets me know that not all cops are bad.”

Serrano said he planned to spend the rest of his Monday afternoon searching Thanksgiving dinner recipes.

“The whole neighborhood is invited,” he joked.

Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.