On Tuesday afternoon, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office gave a Hauppauge boy a spirit-lifting day ahead of his big surgery next week.
Twelve-year-old Wyatt Houppert was invited to the Sheriff’s Office in Riverhead to serve as an Honorary “Sheriff of the Day.” Along with his entire family, Houppert was able to step foot into policing activity, meet Sheriff Errol Toulon (D), and enjoy his passion: vehicles.
The day was especially motivating not only for Wyatt, but also his entire family, as Houppert is scheduled for a kidney transplant next week. His donor, conveniently, is Dawn Rice, the wife and sister of two Sheriff’s Office corrections officers.
Wyatt was born with one functioning kidney, which then failed in February this year.
“Back in 2021, he [Wyatt] got really sick,” his mother, Devan, told reporters. “We weren’t sure what was wrong, until we eventually found out he was born with one kidney. It turned out it was complete kidney failure and was going to need hemodialysis three to four times a week until a transplant.”
Devan says that the diagnosis of total kidney failure was like “getting hit by a Mack truck all of a sudden,” adding that Wyatt’s diet is “very specific.”
“We’re very happy that he gets to have a second chance and just live a better normal life,” said Devan. “I’m really happy for him that he gets to experience this [day at the Sheriff’s Office]; it boots our morale. Monday is transplant day, so all this positivity and love means a lot.”
Wyatt initially sat with Sheriff Toulon in Toulon’s office, before receiving a formal walkthrough that consisted of nearly fifty officers. A K9 demonstration followed, along with driver’s seat action in a police ATV and a tactical vehicle, as well as a walkthrough of the Sheriff’s Office’s mobile DWI unit.
“He [Wyatt] is passionate about cars and vehicles,” said Devan when asked if Wyatt wants to be a police officer when he’s older. “One day, he wants to be a police officer; then another day, it’s a fireman. He’s definitely shooting for the sky and we’re all happy to support that with his second chance at life now.”
Devan said that, as his mother, seeing her son smile at the facility just days before his transplant feels like a “physical load” being lifted off her shoulders.
“He has to go through so much that an adult would have a hard time dealing with, let alone a twelve-year-old. Seeing him happy is an indescribable feeling,” said Devan.
Devan also spoke highly of Dawn Rice, Wyatt’s donor and relative of Sheriff’s Office personnel, as well as the serendipitous placement of Rice in the family’s life.
“She went to middle school with my brother-in-law,” said Devan. “She’s always had these connections to our family in different ways. We had a therapist for many years; Dawn was her only secretary. We’d go to a store across the Island and we’d see her there. My sister was on a plane to Florida and Dawn was there.”
Devan says the “mysterious” connection has finally come to its ultimate task.
“This is the reason; all the mysterious ways that God works things,” said Devan. “And she [Dawn] is willing and so selfless. We can never say thank you enough.”
Wyatt was in good company as well, as Sheriff Toulon himself is no stranger to taxing and stressful ailments.
“I’ve had lymphoma, then I had pancreatic cancer, then I had skin cancer, and then I had heart surgery after cardiac tamponade,” said Toulon. “So, going through all of those different types of ailments as an adult, I can’t even imagine what a young, twelve-year-old will have to go through. It’s very important for us to support him like we support all the young men and women in our community.”
Luckily, Wyatt was on hand to serve as Sheriff for a Day.
“It allows me to go home and relax,” joked Toulon.
