Two police officers in Canada, Paul Duchesne and Jeremy Sikten, responded to a Saturday night wellness check after a neighbor saw an ambulance take away a woman earlier that day. Concerned the house’s lights were still on, the neighbor feared something was wrong.

When the officers knocked, a small voice answered, wary of strangers. Eventually, six-year-old Anna opened the door and explained that her mother had been taken to the hospital, her father was away working on a rig, and she was caring for her younger siblings—three-year-old Brady and two-year-old Jolena—alone. The children had only eaten peanut butter since their mother’s accident.

The officers quickly realized the kids were hungry and needed care. Jeremy, a father of four, reassured Anna they would contact her grandmother. Meanwhile, the children washed up, and Anna changed Jolena’s diaper with Paul’s help.

Jeremy found spaghetti and Bolognese sauce in the kitchen and began cooking, while Paul cleaned the house and played with the children. Though their shift was nearly over, both men stayed until the children’s grandmother could arrive—three hours later.

Dinner was served with steaming pasta, and the officers even brought vanilla ice cream for dessert. By the time their grandmother arrived, the three children were fast asleep on the couch. She was deeply moved by the officers’ kindness, noting the spotless kitchen.

The next day, the grandmother returned to the station with the children and a homemade sweet potato pie to thank them. The officers humbly replied, “To protect and to serve definitely includes serving spaghetti and ice cream.”