Syrian family opens door to find police and presents!

Kassem Abousrhan and his wife Fadya Altroudi have learned not to expect a lot from the police. Where they come from in Syria, men in uniform are not known for being quick to respond — if they respond at all.

So when two officers arrived on the couple's doorstep on Wednesday before Christmas with four giant gift bags full of presents, it would be an understatement to say they were surprised. 

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"Yes, surprised. I'm very happy for the surprise," Altroudi told CBC News, adding that her children had so much fun with the gifts.

The arrival of the police and the presents wasn't the first time officers had shown up at the Syrian family's home.

Earlier this year, when they were living in a basement apartment, a man broke in through a bedroom window.

She wanted to make sure that they had a positive experience with police in Canada.- Anita Fieauch, refugee sponsor

When Abousrhan and Altroudi returned home with their children, they found the man inside with his shirt off, eating their food. 

Not knowing what to do, they called Anita Fieauch — one of their refugee sponsors — whose husband called police.

"The police came very quickly, thankfully, and got him out," Fieauch told CBC News. "Then, the other officer who came stayed with the family for a while."

A plan for presents

By the time that officer left, Fieauch said the family was calm and feeling safe. She thought that was that — the story was over.

But then, in early December, she got a call from Const. Tanya Murawsky, the officer who stayed with the family after the spring break-and-enter.

Murawsky told Fieauch that every year her platoon supports a family from the community and she couldn't get the Abousrhan-Altroudi family out of her mind.

"She wanted to make sure that they had a positive experience with police in Canada," Fieauch said. "She remembered the kids giving her hugs as she left, and she found that very touching. So, she wanted to reconnect with this family and asked me if I could help facilitate that."

And that's how Murawsky and another officer ended up on Abousrhan and Altroudi's front doorstep the Wednesday before Christmas, laden down with presents. 

While mom and dad may have been speechless at the sight, the children certainly were not. 

"It was just smiles all around and kids jumping up and down with excitement at all these really special things," Fieauch said. "It was a wonderful, but overwhelming feeling, I think."