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UPDATE (Aug. 30, 2016): A 5-year-old Bergenfield boy who won the hearts of public servants throughout Bergen County died Tuesday. CLICK HERE.******
Swathed in a stroller outside his house, R.J. Sy "was smiling so hard at first," Cresskill Detective Jason Lanzilotti told Daily Voice. "Then he got so overwhelmed, he started to cry."
There were moist eyes all around, in fact (see video, above).
R.J. "usually sleeps all day, but he's so pumped by it all," his mother, Cheely Ann Sy, told Daily Voice shortly before a candlelight vigil outside her home Thursday night.
"If only love can cure cancer, he would have been in remission," she said.
R.J., who is home on hospice, was diagnosed with Stage 4 high risk neuroblastoma in September 2014.
He expressed a simple wish: Maybe a police car with a couple of officers could swing by the house sometime.
"We heard R.J.'s story and not one of us didn't feel the effect of it," Lanzilotti told Daily Voice.
"So we came together and delivered a simple message," he said. " 'We are here to show you, the family, the support of our family, an entire community of law enforcement.'
"If just for a short while, a moment or even seconds, we could relieve the burden or pressure of the decisions and feelings that you have every day -- to just feel like a mom, a dad, a brother, a sister, an aunt, uncle, grandmother or friend again -- then we are more than happy to do so," the detective said.
"Just know that when you ask for a police car and a couple of guys to come for a visit, you don't just get a couple of guys -- you get this," he said. "We are a blue family here to answer your call, to be by the side of your family."
Bergenfield and Cresskill police coordinated the visit with help from their colleagues from Alpine, Closter, Dumont, Demarest, Englewood Cliffs, Harrington Park, Norwood, Northvale, Tenafly, Teaneck, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office and Palisades Interstate Parkway Police.
They pulled up around 8:20 a.m., then circled Clinton Park Drive, lights flashing, before marching up the block accompanied by various specialty units, including a Bergen County Sheriff's K-9 Unit.
Sheriff Michael Saudino was among the well-wishers, along with local officers of various ranks.
"We have another contingent going tonight for the prayer service," Lanzilotti said. "Just not as large."
You can help R.J.s family by donating: https://www.youcaring.com/rj-sy-430873
MORE: #RJsBattle
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