Terminally ill 6-year-old girl fulfills wish to become police officer
"That's a day she'll never forget," mom Kelly Gant told ABC News.
— -- A young girl's wish to become a police officer for a day has been granted by the Denver Police Department.
Olivia Gant, who is battling a terminal illness, crossed the item off her bucket list April 17 when she was given her own uniform, a ride in a patrol car and made "an arrest."
"That's a day she'll never forget," mom Kelly Gant of Littleton, Colorado, told ABC News. "It was little things to them [the police], that meant a lifetime to her. We don't know how long we have with her. They have no idea the impact they've had on our family or our Olivia."
Olivia was diagnosed with a neurogastrointestinal disorder in May 2015. The 6-year-old currently has intestinal failure and the condition has completely shut down her organs. Olivia has also developed dementia and is currently receiving hospice care, Gant said.
"There are days where she doesn't know what's going on," she added. "Over the last year, we've been in in-patient so many times that we've only been home a total of six weeks."
Because of her daughter's illness, Gant, a mom of three, has had to dial 911 several times. Olivia has grown fond of the firefighters and law enforcement who've responded to the calls, Gant said.
Since she began receiving hospice care, Olivia has created a bucket list to fulfill.
Cpl. Tim Scudder and Denver police granted one of those wishes last week by inviting Olivia to the station.
"One of her wish lists is to 'catch bad guys with police,'" Scudder explained in a video from the Denver Police Department. "That's what I think being a police officer is all about -- making an impact on those in the community and those around us."
Olivia was also sworn in as chief and took a tour of the police facility.
Now, Olivia's family hopes to have her home with her siblings, fulfilling bucket list wishes and making memories, Gant said.