INDIANAPOLIS — It's around 8 years old when many kids start hearing the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
For 8-year-old Elayah Chance, she has no time to waste. She has a terminal illness.
It's caused her colon to stop working, she needs a feeding tube and she has extra chromosomes limiting development.
"She's the age equivalent of a 3-year-old, even though she's 8. She is my blessing in disguise," said Michelle, Elayah's mother. "She puts on a smile, and she's the bravest little girl I ever met."
That smile and bravery were on full display when Elayah got her wish granted to become a police officer. Through the Make-A-Wish program and the Plainfield Police Department, she was sworn in by a judge to be a police officer for a day.
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"She always plays cops at home by herself. She watches 'Chicago P.D.,' that's her favorite show," Michelle said.
Why a police officer? Elayah says it's simple.
"I love everybody. If somebody does something bad, I want to arrest them," Elayah said.
She did just that and more.
"She made some arrests on some bad guys, some made-up burglary arrests. She found some missing kids. She has loved the experience all day long," said Joe Aldridge, Plainfield Police Deputy Chief.
Plainfield police shared photos and recorded her entire day as an officer, from the police chase to finding the missing kids.
Michelle said watching her daughter live out her dream is bittersweet.
"I cried a lot of happy tears, but it's also sad because I know what Make-A-Wish means. But I'm happy for her," Michelle said.
In a world where she could have been anything she wanted for the day, Plainfield police said they're honored she chose them.
"I think our officers get more out of it than she does. She has this opportunity to be a police officer for the day. We do it every day and take it for granted sometimes," Aldridge said.
At the end of her shift, Elayah walked into a gym full of people ready to celebrate her successful day.
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She was even honored by Gov. Eric Holcomb as a Distinguished Hoosier. Her mother said her wish is to never forget this moment.
"If she can be this strong, anybody can do it," Michelle said.