Cop Uses His Own Money To Fill Woman's Gas Tank After Learning She Couldn't Afford To Get Home
A police officer went above and beyond the call of duty Monday when he paid for a woman’s gas after realizing she couldn’t afford to fill her tank herself.
Deputy Sheriff Chris Owen of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling in Walkertown, North Carolina, when a woman approached him in her car, asking for help, to which he readily responded.
“The driver explained that she was on her way home and needed to get gas,” Owen told Yahoo Lifestyle. “The lady told me she was handicapped and asked if I could pump her gas for her.”
He said he could tell that the woman, who never gave her name, was having a difficult evening.
“She was not having a great night and I wanted to do what I could to make it better,” he said. But as he would soon find out, her night was going even worse than he thought.
Owen met the woman at a gas station not far away, getting out of his patrol car to pump her gas. That’s when she handed him $8 to cover the cost.
“I asked if she thought that would be enough to get her home, and she told me where she was going and that she thought it should cover it,” he said. But the officer knew the area well enough to know that she might not make it back on just a little fuel.
“I did not want her to run out of gas and be stranded, so I decided to just swipe my credit card to pay for her,” he said.
The woman was blown away by Owen’s kindness. According to Yahoo, she thanked him more than once before getting back on the road, now able to make it home safely.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office posted a photo of Owen at the gas station, sharing the story on its Facebook page.
“This job isn’t just about carrying a gun and a badge — it’s about serving others,” the post said.
According to Yahoo, public affairs officer Christina Howell said that the selfless act was “nothing out of the ordinary” for Owen, who has been serving the community for over six years.
“Many individuals who go into law enforcement do so because they want to make the world a better place by both protecting and serving others,” Howell said, adding that because the little acts of kindness are rarely photographed and shared, they often “go unnoticed by the general public.”
Owen himself told WGHP-TV, “This is a small gesture, but it’s not something that’s uncommon. A lot of officers, I know a lot of guys on my squad, have done the same thing.”
“You never know someone’s circumstances or what challenges they are facing every day, and a seemingly small act may end up making a difference for someone,” Owen told Yahoo.
“Just pay it forward and treat everyone you encounter with respect and understanding.”
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