Wilmington police officer helps those in need for 7 days of ‘Megannakkuh’

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington Police officer is spreading some holiday cheer in the community this week doing random acts of kindness each day.

Every year, around the week before Christmas, this Wilmington police officer starts celebrating a special holiday she created.

“Megannakkuh,” Megan O’Bryan said.

Megan O’Bryan said it started in 2005 when she was deployed and jokingly tried to ask her officer in charge for the week of Christmas off.

“And he said, ‘Well, why?'” O’Bryan said. “I said, ‘Because it’s my birthday and Christmas and New Years.’ I said, ‘It’s a national holiday, sir.'”

She said that joke turned into something a little more when she became a police officer. She said you as an officer you are able to see how many people are in need.

“Last year, I said for my birthday, instead of presents or anything, I would like everyone to do just one nice thing for someone,” O’Bryan said. “It doesn’t have to cost anything. Like, tell that girl her sweater is pretty.”

This year, the tradition continues with a week of kindness. One day, O’Bryan brought in homemade brownies for her squad and donated to Rose’s Rescue.

“On day two, I cleaned all the windshields for my squad,” O’Bryan said.

The next day, O’Bryan said she got a call about a man begging near Walmart.

“I rolled up and I was like, ‘Hey, man you’re not allowed to do that here,'” O’Bryan said.

O’Bryan said the man was trying to sell tools to pay for gas for the van he and his wife share to go to work.

“I said, ‘Meet me over at the Murphy’s,'” O’Bryan said. “He said, ‘Am I in trouble?’ I said, ‘No, man just meet me at Murphy’s’ and he was like, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Man just meet me at Murphy’s!'”

She met him at the Murphy’s USA across from Walmart and started filling his van with gas.

“He was like, ‘Why are you doing this?’ And I said, ‘You said you need gas right?’ He said, ‘Well, I’ve never had a police officer do this for me.'”

O’Bryan said she has been in his shoes.

“I said, ‘Just pay it forward,'” O’Bryan said. “When you can, when you’re good and you have a little bit extra and you can help someone just do the same. He thanked me and I was able to make his night a little better.”

She said that is what Megannakkuh is all about, but she said it is not just for her.

“Oh my God! Everyone should be a part of Megannakkuh, because when you see someone doing good, it inspires you to do good,” O’Bryan said.

Many people have tagged O’Bryan on Facebook with things they have done for ‘Megannakkuh.’ O’Bryan said the peak of Megannakkuh is Friday, because December 23 is her birthday. She said she will be working and giving that day.