- Thousands of police departments
use K9's to keep us safe.
These highly-trained dogs work
alongside law enforcement and are often sent
into extremely dangerous situations.
But many lack the protection they deserve.
That's where a 10-year-old boy from Ohio
has stepped up and has already raised
more than $130,000 to buy bulletproof vests for dogs.
Please welcome Brady and his momma Leah ya'll.
(crowd cheering)
- So, so Brady, Leah, how did this start?
- I was watching this show called Live P.D.
And there was this K9 that didn't have a vest
so I wanted to vest him.
- Yeah I love that that's such a sweet heart.
- Yeah he was 8 years old at the time
and his stepdad's a police officer
so he knows the importance of the Kevlar vest.
I didn't even pick up that the dog wasn't wearing one.
He turned to me and was like,
"What's going on?"
and to this day, that's when he started Brady's K9 Fund
and he's raised over $130,000
and how many have you vested?
How many dogs?
- 127
- That is so cool, man!
(applause)
That is so cool.
So let's talk about the vest.
There are, these vests are custom-made for the K9s
and they don't get, like, overheated,
they're specifically, kind of, for them?
- Yes, it's a whole new techology
that they're rolling out.
They're protective of just their vital organs,
allows them have full movement,
which is super important.
- Yeah.
- And police departments rely on donations
for these vests because they can't afford it.
- Yeah, it's not in the budget.
- Yeah, the budget for K9s is really low.
- It's like being a teacher.
- Right?
They have like no supplies, yeah, yeah.
- It's like there's no budget.
Yeah, yeah, agreed agreed.
So you recently received a big honor as well, right?
- Yeah so um, ASPCA told me
that I'm the Kid of the Year.
(applause)
- You got Kid of the Year?
That's amazing!
How did you feel receiving that?
- Um, I was proud that they um picked me.
- Yeah that's so cool, it's 'cause you're,
Dude, what were ya'll doin' at nine and ten?
I wasn't savin' the world.
- Not at all.
- When I was eight I was,
I was eating paint chips off the wall.
(laughter)
- Like, I don't know if I did anything that cool.
That is, you've got such a big heart.
I have-
- Kid of the Year is crazy I,
I don't even know that existed to be a kid of the year.
That's huge, brother.
- Yeah
- I know!
And we didn't know it exists
because we we weren't offered that.
(laughter)
The most recent recipient of a vest
from Brady's K9 fund is Mido
from the Hawthorne Police Department
here in California.
He's here actually with his handler, Officer Sarah Lewis.
Ya'll come on out!
(applause)
Hi, nice to see you!
- Hi.
- Oh my gosh.
- And this is Mido
- So, so you might wanna keep Mido over here
because he's allergic to dogs.
- Okay, oh no!
- I'm not gonna die.
- You wanna sit with me here?
Why don't you take my seat?
- No I...
- I'll scoot down I'll sit by Brady.
- Okay, well Mido's the star.
- I don't want him to start like,
you know, getting in hives,
I want him to come back to my show.
- So how will this vest make a difference?
- I mean I wear a vest, from here,
to protect my vital organs, so.
Um, this is, this is amazing
and this vest in particular is really nice
because it's lighter weight so the dogs,
I, I can put this on Mido and keep him
in my car and because you never know,
sometimes if I contact a suspect.
- Be quick
- And they run and they're armed
I, I have a door pop right here
on my belt and I can pop him out.
He's already got his protection on,
ready to go and I feel better about it
and he's safe.
- Wow, it's so, look what you did, Brady!
(applause)
- That's so cool!
- Uh, this week the Cirque Dreams
kicked off their annual Holidaze show
coming to nearly 60 cities from coast to coast.
Here to tell us about this year's tour,
please welcome Broadway producer and
Cirque Dreams founder, Neil Goldberg!
(applause)
So I, I love annual traditions
and this one, this was, it's become one
'cause it's so huge.
- It has!
It's in it's twelfth year, 60 cities,
I mean this show has something in it for everyone
and that's why people keep going back to see it.
- Yeah.
- And all over the United States,
you know, you can see it in the
fabulous Fox theaters in Atlanta
and, and in St. Louis, from Denver,
Philadelphia, Charlotte, Connecticut, all over.
- I love that you're getting everywhere, yeah.
- Yeah, everywhere and we keep going back
because it's a great tradition
because, you know, I grew up in New York
and my mom and dad used to take us into the city
to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular
and what I remember as a kid was
that amazing feeling of mom and dad
taking the kids and the grandparents
and going to see something about the holidays
that everyone can share.
- And it almost like kicks off the season for you.
It's gets you in like the spirit of everything.
I love it.
- It does and you know I also love
when people walk out of the theater
and sometimes I'll meet them in the lobby and I'll say
"So how did you think about the show?"
and they go, "I just want to go out
and start shopping."
- [Kelly] Oh yeah.
- And the show, you know,
you hear the word "Cirque" so yeah
there's all that amazing acrobatic
audacity and trapeze and flying
But this is about the holiday season.
Everyone of the twenty scenes in this two hour show
tell another story.
Penguins, North Pole, snowing, skiing.
- Oh my gosh.
- Toy soldiers walking on thin wire
so we've taken all of these amazing things
that people have seen in these Cirque shows
in Vegas and on television
and we've themed them for the holidays
so this is great
- And you're bringing them to the masses
and it's for families, like,
it's not just for adults, like,
it's everybody can come.
That's what I love about it.
- It is, it is, the adult worry about,
you know, parking.
We worry about stroller parking, so.
(laughter)
- But Neil brought some of his performers
who are ready to give us a show.
Let's see it!
(applause)
(circus music)
(applause)
(crowd cheers)
(applause)
(crowd cheers)
(applause)
(cheers and applause)
- What!?
That was so incredible!
- Thank you
- Oh my gosh!
- Thank you so much
- I thought for sure one was gonna drop.
I mean, I, your skill is flawless.
- That is what make us superior.
- I'm like
- That's like, that's like you hitting a bad note.
- I do.
- We don't want that.
- You just keep going.
You'll impress 'em later.
Um, you have something special though,
for Brady and Leah, right?
- I do, um, I'm personally, for,
on behalf of Cirque Dreams,
we are so proud of what you have done, and,
like we said, the show is playing in 60 cities,
But our biggest show is going to be in Colorado
and everyone at Cirque Dreams
wanted me to represent to you
and your mom and dad that you're going
to come and see that show.
- Yeah!
- Yay!
- I mean I would come just for the juggling
and the dancing polar bear.
That's amazing.
Cirque Dreams Holidaze is performing 60 shows
at the brand new Gaylord Rockies Resort in Colorado
and the hotel is flying Brady and his parents
to the resort where they'll attend a performance as VIPs.
But that's not all, Cirque Dreams Holidaze
is also performing here at the Dolby Theater
in Los Angeles and everyone in my audience
is getting tickets!
(cheers and applause)
And listen to this!
Those tickets are good for any performance
of Cirque Dreams Holidaze around the country.