Lynwood rallies around young junior officer facing heartbreak this holiday season

LYNWOOD - With Christmas fast-approaching, the Village of Lynwood is making this holiday season brighter for one little boy. 

Last year, in the midst of a serious health battle, Keyjuan Andrewin was sworn in as an honorary police officer. This year, after unexpectedly losing his father, he is facing a new challenge, but local officials are stepping up to remind him that he is not alone.

What we know:

At just 8 years old, Keyjuan has been through more than most people go through in a lifetime. He's fought through dozens of surgeries and procedures for a rare heart defect — Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). 

Now, he is grappling with the loss of his father, Dujuan Andrewin, who died suddenly in September.

"One thing about us is that when we adopt you as family, you are with us for a lifetime, and so we're going to stay on the journey with Keyjuan and his family," said Lynwood Mayor Jada Curry. "And they're great, they come out to everything, they feel very connected and we want them to know in spite of the loss, they are loved."

Mayor Curry and Lynwood Police Chief Gregory Thomas invited Keyjuan, along with his mom, siblings, and cousins to Village Hall on Wednesday. 

There, Santa Claus was waiting with tons of presents to brighten his spirits.

"We've adopted him around here. He's our little brother, our nephew, so he's always welcome, him and his family," Chief Thomas said. "It's our job to continue to be that inspiration to them."

Former NBA players, including Bobby Simmons and LaRue Martin, also took part in the magic.

"It's all about giving. If I was still playing in the NBA, we'd still be with families," Simmons said. "We do a lot of giving back, just supporting the communities."

The surprise left Keyjuan nearly speechless, but he did share that his favorite part of the day wasn't receiving presents, it was "passing out gifts." 

Keyjuan then spent the afternoon spreading holiday cheer by delivering presents to more than 20 homes as part of Lynwood's 5th Annual Holiday Toy Drive. 

Dig deeper:

In April 2024, Keyjuan's dream came true when he was sworn in as a junior officer for the Lynwood Police Department.  

Since then, he's formed a bond with members of the department who continue to step up for Keyjuan and his family.

"Them being able to allow him to be part of everything here, to give out gifts, even regular community events. It just means so much from the bottom of my heart," said Jessica Krentkowski, Keyjuan's mom.

What's next:

Keyjuan will continue to play an integral role in community events as a junior officer.