Cop Gives Food, Shower, and Boots to Homeless Man Whose Family Rejected Him — Story of the Day

A seasoned cop responds to a call about a panhandler causing a disturbance at a subway and ends up offering him food, a shower, and boots, unaware that his sweet gesture will turn the latter's life around.

It was a busy day at the New York police station. Officer Jackson and Steve were discussing a serious case when they were informed about a disturbance at the nearby subway.

"Looks like we'll have to halt discussing the case further, Steve," said Officer Jackson. "Some beggar's been causing a nuisance at the subway. We need to head there."

"Let's check it out quickly then,'' suggested Officer Steve. "We were gonna head there anyway. Remember, we need more reports?"

"Yep, let's go," Officer Jackson finished before they walked out of the station and got into their patrol car.

The two cops had expected they'd have to deal with an annoying man pestering the passersby for money. But when they arrived at the crime scene, they were taken aback by the panhandler's appearance…

The man had tears in his eyes and was sitting on the subway stairs, looking disheveled and tired.

"Excuse me, sir," Officer Jackson told him. "You can't lodge here, nor can you bother the people to give you money. You gotta leave this place."

God has given us two hands: one to help ourselves and the other to extend to others in need.

"Or you need to come to the station with us," Officer Steve added, "so let's keep moving."

"Look, officers," the man sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble, okay? I lost my cane, and I can't walk without it. I wanted a few cents so I could get myself something to eat. I really didn't bother anyone."

Officer Jackson looked at the man and felt terrible for him. It was cold, and he didn't even have a proper jacket. Moreover, he looked pale and weak.

"Sir, do you need any medical attention?" he finally asked the man, noticing he had no shoes and only a pair of old, worn slippers. "We could take you to the hospital."

"Nope, but can you get me some food?" the poor man, Eugene, asked shyly. "I wouldn't have bothered you, officers, but I'm famished."

The two cops exchanged looks, knowing the man wasn't a disturbance but someone who genuinely needed their help. So they promised to get him food, buy him a cane, and drop him home. And that's what they did.

After buying the cane and getting him food, the officers drove to Eugene's home, only to discover he had no home at all. It turned out he was not just a beggar but a homeless man, wandering the streets and living off the tiny scraps of food he managed to find while dumpster diving.

"So you've been sleeping in an alley?" asked Officer Jackson, looking at the alley where they'd pulled over. "This place is all damp, sir. We don't think we can drop you off here. How about we leave you at a shelter?"

"You guys are really kind, officers," Eugene said, moved by the officers' kindness. "But you need not worry. Homeless folks like me often sleep in a damp area like this one…"

Eugene went on to share his heart-wrenching story with the officers about how he had lost everything, and Officer Jackson was really moved by it.

The poor man said he was working at a skyscraper construction site when he sustained an injury and became disabled in one leg, losing his ability to walk. Unfortunately, his disability forbade him from doing physical labor, and he wasn't well-educated to find a desk job, so he remained jobless.

"I couldn't provide for my family, so my wife and children left me," he continued. "I didn't see a point in living after they left, so I'm taking life as it comes. My wife's now remarried, and she's happy. I don't have any hopes or aspirations of changing my fate, officers."

But Officer Jackson genuinely wanted Eugene to change his fate. Officer Jackson's grandfather was a skyscraper construction worker too. He was very close to him and had seen how hard his Grampa had worked to raise him after he was orphaned at a young age.

So Officer Jackson drove Eugene to the police station instead of letting him sleep in an alley. Then he brought him something warm to eat, helped him take a shower, and gave him his warm boots.

"You're still young, Eugene," he said. "You can't lose hope so soon. You gotta live for yourself if nobody else."

After his shift, Officer Jackson drove Eugene to a shelter for the homeless and gave him some money.

"Hey, cop, you really don't need to do this," Eugene said. "You've done enough for me."

"Well, you're like a younger brother I never had, Eugene," Officer Jackson said. "Keep this with you, and take care."

After parting ways that day, Eugene had never expected to cross paths with Officer Jackson or his partner, Officer Steve. But three months later, he saw a cop's car pull over outside the shelter, and Officer Jackson got down.

"Officer?" Eugene was shocked. "Didn't expect to see you around here again. Is it for a case? Something's wrong at the shelter?"

"Nope, nothing's wrong, Eugene," Officer Jackson said. "I just had to give you something."

Officer Jackson gave Eugene an envelope containing $12,000 inside. Officer Steve and Jackson had started a fundraiser for Eugene and managed to raise that amount in three months.

"You can slowly start a new life with this money, friend," Officer Jackson said encouragingly. "Get yourself some help, find a job… These days disability is not really something that can hinder you from finding work, and yes, get yourself a nice place once you're on your feet."

Eugene had tears in his eyes. "You're a very kind man, officer," he said. "How will I return your favor?"

"You don't need to," Officer Jackson said. "Just do your best at the second chance life has given you. Take care…"

And well, a few months later, Eugene was a changed man. He not only found himself a job and was taking baby steps towards normalcy, but he was also seeking consultation and meeting a therapist to heal from the wounds his past had inflicted on him. All thanks to two kind officers.

What can we learn from this story?

• Be kind to someone in need, and you'll never regret it. Officer Jackson was touched by Eugene's story and helped him find hope to start fresh in life. And the cop was glad he was successful in his endeavor.
• God has given us two hands: one to help ourselves and the other to extend to others in need. Officer Steve and Jackson went out of their way to help Eugene reclaim his life.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a cop who helped a homeless man he met while patrolling a neighborhood and how it changed his hate for Christmas.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.