PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy celebrating 30 years of service got an unexpected surprise at an awards ceremony — a visit from rapper Vanilla Ice.
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Deputy Tina Izzarone was among the employees honored at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office awards ceremony this month. What she did not expect was a surprise appearance from her favorite celebrity, Rob Van Winkle, better known as Vanilla Ice.
"That was amazing," Izzarone said.
The surprise was made possible by a young man named Raffie, whose connection to both the deputy and the rapper brought the moment together. The story began when Izzarone pulled Raffie's mother over for a traffic stop and noticed Raffie.
"I noticed immediately of his specialness, and I made him feel really at ease knowing that his mother was not in trouble," Izzarone said.
Raffie remembered the deputy's kindness. When he saw her again a few months later, he approached her.
"I see her face and just remembered," Raffie said.
Raffie also has a longstanding friendship with Van Winkle.
"Raffie and I go way back when he was a little kid and just a great honor to come out and do this," Van Winkle said.
When Raffie and his mother planned to attend the awards ceremony, Raffie wanted to invite Van Winkle. The rapper described his bond with Raffie.
"I have a big monster truck and every time he comes over and every time he comes to my house he says I have to sit in it. Turns the air conditioner on and it's cool," Van Winkle said.
Adding to the moment, Van Winkle and Izzarone share the same birthday — October 31.
A friendship formed through a simple act of kindness on a traffic stop. As for Raffie's mother — she did receive a ticket that day.
