MESA, Ariz. (KNXV) – When a man’s hobby was interrupted by a robbery, a police officer took matters into his own hands to help him regain his passion and, in return, received his own celebration.
John Bazan’s hobby is gardening. All of the patio greenery at Oakwood Creative Care, an Alzheimer’s facility in Mesa, Arizona, is managed by Bazan. About a month ago, someone broke into the facility and stole Bazan’s gardening tools.
“He was just sad; he was sad, it’s hard to understand why someone would do something like that,” said Marianne Bazan, John’s daughter.
The affair remained with Mesa’s police officer Robert Zilm, who knew he had to help restore Bazan’s love for gardening.
“I went home, talked to my wife and my mother and we made a plan,” Constable Zilm said. Soon after, he arrived in Oakwood with a bucket of tools, replacing the stolen ones.
In gratitude, Oakwood gave Zilm and his wife a surprise baby shower for Zilm’s newborn daughter. Oakwood, along with the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, gave Zilm special gifts and a little party, but most of all a thank you for taking the time to take care of Bazan and his green thumb.
“It makes me happy to see how happy he was. He spends all day in the heat doing his gardening and that’s what he finds joy in doing,” Constable Zilm said.
This story originally reported by Adam Waltz on ABC15.com.