7-year-old boy stabbed and set on fire adopted by the detective who responded to call

When police officers and detectives answer the calls of people in need of help, they don’t really know what to expect at the scene.

Sometimes, those calls are serendipitous, just like in the case of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Detective Mike Blair and a young boy who was stabbed multiply times, set on fire, and was left fighting for his life.

When Mike arrived in the house of then 7-year-old Ronnie, the boy had already been taken to the hospital, but the chances of his survival were slim. His father had stabbed him and killed his mother and sister.

Poor Ronnie was now all by himself. In one moment, he lost everyone he loved, and his sad story touched Detective Mike to the core.

During Ronnie’s recovery, Mike would often visit him and bring him a bunch of things from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Over time, their bond became very strong and Mike was basically the only person Ronnie was comfortable around.

One day, as Mike was about to leave the hospital, Ronnie grabbed him by his hand. “He kind of held on to my hand as I left, and he said, ‘could you watch a movie with me?’” Mike said. Although he was supposed to go out with his wife Danyel Blair that night, Mike couldn’t leave Ronnie and asked Danyel if she minded going with him to the hospital instead. She was more than happy to spend some time with Ronnie.

That night was a turning point in Ronnie’s life as Danyel realized that boy belonged with them. Although they had five children on their own, welcoming Ronnie to the family seemed like the perfect decision.

Today, three years after the horrible incident, Ronnie got officially adopted by the detective who responded to the call.

“They are really nice people. They are the best moms and dads, and they really take care of me. There is no one else better than them,” Ronnie said.

The father, Ronnie Oneal III, who committed the killing was sentenced to three life terms plus 60 years.