In 2010, six-year-old Giovanni “Govi” Eastwood, a boy with Down syndrome, was found starving and neglected in the attic of his family’s Kansas home. Weighing only 17 pounds, unable to walk properly, and suffering from severe malnutrition, he was rescued by police after officers returned to search the house again, suspecting he had been left behind. Authorities said he likely would not have survived much longer.
Govi’s mother, Rachel Perez, was later sentenced to prison for attempted murder related to his abuse. After the rescue, Govi and his sisters were adopted by relatives Stacy and Joe Eastwood, who helped him slowly recover from years of trauma and neglect.
Six years later, the officers who rescued him reunited with Govi and were amazed by his transformation. Healthy, smiling, and full of kindness, he was named an honorary deputy at the sheriff’s department. One of the rescuing officers described him as “magical,” saying his positive spirit inspires everyone around him.