Internet Comes Together To Make 9-Year-Old With Amputated Finger Feel Less Alone

One little boy got a big boost of confidence from these cops -- and some strangers -- who cared.

Zalend Thames, a 9-year-old amputee, felt self-conscious after losing his finger in a tile saw accident last year. So Officer Dave Edwards and Lt. Brian Rackow, of the Midland Police Department in Texas, who are both amputees themselves, met with Zalend to show him he should be proud of who he is.

A photo of the trio's meeting was shared on Facebook last week and it's clear the chat had a positive effect on Zalend.

"We just pointed out to him ... that he's not alone out there," Rackow told The Huffington Post. "That was a really great thing for us to get the chance to do."

Rackow, who lost his hand in an explosion while on duty, said that since the accident, Zalend's felt as though everyone has been noticing his injury.

"He's been sticking his hands in his pockets, feeling like there's always an audience watching," he said.

So when the 9-year-old's grandmother saw Rackow at a carnival, she decided to track the lieutenant down and ask him to chat with the boy. During their meeting with Zalend, the cops comforted the 9-year-old. Edwards, who lost a finger in an accident during college, addressed the fact that the boy will still be able to participate in activities he enjoys, like playing baseball.

"There was a change in attitude. During the process of us sitting and talking to him, he quit putting his hands under the desk," Rackow said, recalling their interaction. "He brought his hands out."

Rackow and Edwards demonstrated a great deal of compassion, but they weren't the only ones who supported the boy. After a picture of the meeting was shared on Facebook, many social media users shared photos and stories of their own amputations or experiences to give the boy some words of encouragement.

"I lost my left ring finger in a friendly fire training accident 10 years ago," one Facebook user wrote. "I am still on the job and love it the same as day one. You can do anything you want. Never give up."

Rackow hopes that the boy will take the uplifting messages to heart and, someday, pay the kindness forward.

"It was just showing him that life will go on for him," Rackow said of all the supportive messages on social media. "And hopefully he'll take that and if he meets someone else going through the same struggles, he'll do the same for them."