A warm welcome to Clearwater Marine Aquarium for the Thompson family.

  • Winter & Hope welcome police officer & family who adopted abused boy
  • Oklahoma Officer Jody Thompson adopted abused boy from 2015 case he worked
  • Family invited to Clearwater to meet inspirational dolphins, Winter & Hope
  • RELATED: Winter's Rescue Mission

The streets were lined with Clearwater Police Officers, Clearwater Firefighters and Pinellas County Deputies.

Officer Jody Thompson of Poteau, Oklahoma was hailed a hero as he and his family connected with the inspirational dolphins, Winter and Hope.

"Had to fight back some tears," said Officer Thompson.

It was an emotional moment for the officer as he shared the moment with a boy he rescued from a child abuse case he worked in 2015. 

"It was a chance meeting and it was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen and so that, right then I knew I was there for a reason and it was John," said Officer Thompson.

John was eight when the off-duty Officer responded to the child abuse call.

"His hands bound and a trash can a 55-gallon barrel with ice water in it up to his chin put on his knees and the knot on his head if you can picture that," said Thompson.

“There wasn’t a two-inch square that didn’t have a bruise or abrasion in some stage of healing, grossly underweight, you could see John’s collarbone, you could see his ribs."

Today, John and his baby sister, Paizley who was born in prison call Thompson Dad.

The officer and his wife adopted the children. They have three biological children.

"We went from two kids to five in seven months," said Thompson.

When The Clearwater Marine Aquarium heard the story, the Thompsons were invited to meet Winter and Hope, who have inspirational stories of their own.

"It was really cool," said John. "Just getting to feed ‘em."

A boy overcoming his past, bonding with Winter.

"How she had overcame what she had went through."

John has overcome a lot, too. He’s thriving in his new home. Dad says he’s getting straight A’s and wants to be a teacher.

CMA wants to help children like John and they’re doing it through a new campaign, called Winter’s Rescue Mission.

The organization that partners with Angels Against Abuse aims to help abused children and provide resources.

The Thompsons hope sharing their story helps saves lives.

"If a kid doesn’t have a home today, they can have one tomorrow," said John.

Meantime, Officer Thompson insists he’s not the hero.

"John saved himself that day and he saved his baby sister, so I’m just telling the story, he’s a man of little words,” said Officer Thompson. “He’s the hero, this is the toughest kid I’ve ever met, he’s the toughest human I've ever met."