Close Ad

Homeless Community Donates $8 After a Police Officer Is Killed in the Line of Duty - Sparks Ripple Effect of Kindness
police
Everyday Heroes

Homeless Community Donates $8 After a Police Officer Is Killed in the Line of Duty - Sparks Ripple Effect of Kindness

They gave everything they had. They had no idea what they would get back in return.

Four-year police veteran Seara Burton had just started her job in the K-9 department of the Richmond Police Department when tragedy struck.

She was assisting in a traffic stop when she sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Sadly, she succumbed to her injuries 39 days later.


RELATED: Police Officers Can’t Save an Elderly Man Pleading for Help – Backup Arrives from an Unlikely Place

The 28-year-old was just days away from getting married when she was shot. She had her whole life ahead of her. Described as a "warrior, a hero, and a bright star," Burton's death hit the community hard.

People came out in droves to support Burton, her family, and the police department. But the most valuable gift honoring her life came from an unlikely source.

A Community in Mourning Gives Everything They Have

Image 24 1100x619
(CBS)

Not long after Burton's death, a man (who appeared to be homeless) walked into the Richmond police station. In his hand was a dirty white envelope, simply labeled "People from the Street."

He handed the envelope to information clerk Charlotte Jones, telling her it was a donation for the fallen officer's family.

Inside were 8 crumpled one-dollar bills — courtesy of the Richmond homeless community.

RELATED: Man Caught Shoplifting Clothes at Walmart – Police Officer’s Surprising Response Changes His Life

They gave everything they had - to the sum total of $8. A number that may not seem like much when you're ordering your venti latte at Starbucks but, to those who donated, was worth everything.

"They gave that knowing they don't know if they're going to have another dollar tomorrow," Richmond Police Department Lt. Donnie Benedict told CBS News. "That is as genuine as you're going to get. I mean, that $8 was like $8 million." 

No one knows who gave the money but they do know why. The stranger told Jones that "Burton was kind and would often check in on the homeless." They wanted to pay her kindness back.

The anonymous donor may not have left his name but what he left instead was hope.

How a Selfless Act of Kindness Inspired a Community To Give

They say that all it takes is one single drop of water to make a wave. And it turns out, it's true. Lt. Benedict shared the story of the $8 donation at Burton's funeral, which now sits in a frame along with the envelope and a ninth dollar bill.

"The 9th dollar that's in this frame represents now the first dollar of the next dollar that will be given in honor of Seara."

That dollar joins hundreds of thousands of dollars now donated to Burton and her family.

Additionally, since the funeral, donations for the homeless community have been flooding in.

Boxes of blankets, clothes, bottled water, tents, and more fill up an entire room at the Richmond fire station. And more just keeps coming.

"There's hope out there," Lt. Benedict said. "There are people out there who will give everything." The ones in the line of duty AND the ones they serve.

Burton's death was a horrible tragedy. But the legacy she leaves behind is proof that showing kindness to others can have a ripple effect that spreads so much further than you could ever imagine.

KEEP READING:

From Robbing Drug Dealers to Arresting Bad Guys – How a Violent Gang Member Became a Respected NY Police Chief

Hot Stories

Pamela Anderson Opens Up About Her 9 Disastrous Weddings
Why Pamela Anderson Can't Stop Getting Married

Pamela Anderson has it all: beauty, fame and success. So why can’t the most famous blonde find her fairytale ending? Why is Pamela so unlucky in love and what dark secrets lie behind her seemingly glamorous life?

Keep ReadingShow less
Life Stories
Woman wearing a tie-dye shirt, two little kids holding a heartbreaking sign and two people holding hands.

Poor Boy Begs For Money to "Bury My Mama" With Heartbreaking Sign

Facebook/ Shannon Mount and Facebook/Jennifer Fife

A week ago, 11-year-old Kayden Ely experienced the devastating loss of his mother, Shannon Mount. Her unexpected passing didn't just leave Kayden and his four siblings without their mom, it also left the family in dire financial straits.

Desperate to raise funds for his mom's funeral, Kayden took to the streets of his small town in Georgia begging for help. For two days the heartbroken little boy stood next to the railroad tracks, holding a sign that read, "Please help me bury my mama!"

Keep ReadingShow less
Uplifting News
Man standing with two daughters, a black purse and a handwritten note (inset)

Grieving Daughter Finds Note In Fossil Purse While Thrifting

Courtesy Anna Harp and Courtesy of Abrielle Clausing (via People.com)

Thrifting can net all sorts of treasures. Shoppers can snatch up everything from vintage clothes to mid-century modern furniture to kitschy knick-knacks, all without breaking the bank.

But for one grieving woman, she found a hidden gem that was truly priceless.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uplifting News