PONCHATOULA, La. – A little Louisiana girl is in a big hurry to hug a cop – in every state.
Rosalyn Baldwin is just seven.
Everybody who gets a hug from her also gets a heart sticker because the hugs come from Rosalyn’s heart.
“I’m hugging them because they risk their lives for other people,” Rosalyn tells WGNO. “Because they risk their lives and they’re kind and they’re everything and besides, there are more good police officers than bad police officers.”
Ponchatoula Police Chief Bry Layrisson says it’s his “first time for a hug of that magnitude.”
After a year, Rosalyn has hugged half the country – 25 states down and 25 to go.
As she travels cross country, her mom is her driver, but not her driving force.
Angie Baldwin says, “No, I would not have thought about going to 50 states, trust me, this was inspired completely by her. She loves police officers.”
From coast to coast, hugs are inspiring her mission, but so far, not her career.
Rosalyn says she doesn’t want to be a police officer when she grows up.
“No, it’s too dangerous.”
She says she wants to be a veterinarian, so she’ll grow up and go from hugging cops to canines.
In the meantime, she’s got half the country to hug.