Close Ad

Police Officer Passes by Struggling Homeless Woman on the Street - The Message on Her Shirt Makes Him Pull Over
Cop Reads Homeless Woman’s Shirt and Pulls Over to Share a Pizza With Her
Uplifting News

Police Officer Passes by Struggling Homeless Woman on the Street - The Message on Her Shirt Makes Him Pull Over

A photo of the pair sharing lunch goes viral.

So many of us are one illness, job loss, or life-altering event away from losing our homes.

People who don’t have a home and live on the streets don’t do so by choice, but often because of a hand that life has dealt them. It can be hard to forget that in the moment, though, and unfortunately, it can also be easy to get down on yourself when things go wrong.


That’s why the actions of this police officer have warmed up hearts around the world.

A Routine Drive By

woman and a police officer sitting on the ground and eating pizza

Officer Michael Rivers had been with the Goldsboro Police Department in North Carolina for nine years when he came across a homeless woman he had never seen before, reports CNN. He was doing his routine tour around the community, but something about this woman stood out to him: her shirt.

“Homeless. The fastest way of becoming a nobody,” it read.

The message broke the officer’s heart, and he made eye contact with the woman through his open car window. He said hello and drove away, but deep down, he knew he had to go back.

“God put it on my heart to get her lunch,” he told the publication. “So I turned around, and I asked her, ‘Hey, did you eat today?’ And she said, ‘No.’”

Lunch Companions

That did it for Rivers, so he drove to the nearest pizza joint and returned later with pepperoni and cheese pizzas. He got out of the car and sat down on the grass next to her, and they shared some slices. Even more importantly, Rivers took the time to have a conversation with the woman and get to know her.

It turned out her name was Michelle. She had a 12-year-old daughter who is battling liver cancer and is in foster care. She also had a 23-year-old son. Her husband, meanwhile, was also homeless. “Homeless people are just people who are down on their luck,” Rivers told CNN. “It can happen to anybody.”

For the next 45 minutes, Michelle and Rivers broke bread and exchanged life stories. It was a super sweet moment that a passerby captured with a photo. Later, the witnesses posted it on Facebook, where it got thousands of likes and shares.

“Law enforcement does so much for our community, with a lot of it going unnoticed,” a man named Chris Barnes wrote. “We see you, Goldsboro P.D. Keep up the good work.”

People Are More Than Their Circumstances

That day, Rivers realized he and Michelle had more in common than he thought. She was used to being misperceived because of her homelessness, while Rivers feels people often have a negative reaction to him because of what he does for work.

It’s a good reminder to all of us that people are so much more than their circumstances, and it’s important to get to know someone for who they are rather than where they live or what they do for a living. The sooner we can throw away preconceived notions, the quicker we’ll form real connections with others.

So the next time you see someone on the street and feel the urge to help them out, giving them money, clothes, or a hot meal is, of course, nice. But depending on the situation, it can also be important to have an actual conversation with that person. Because at the end of the day, who doesn’t want to feel seen?  

Hot Stories

Leonardo DiCaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go”
Leo Dicaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go” …

Forced to feel ashamed for her weight and appearance, Kate Winslet struggled with her body image for years. The media loved to tease her for being “the fat girl,” but there was ONE PERSON who saw the real her. What did Leo see in Kate? And what important message does Kate have for young women everywhere?


Keep ReadingShow less
Videos
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