Officer Gives 90-Year-Old Woman Struggling To Find Bus a Ride Home in Warm Police Car
It is a beautiful thing to see people making a difference in their community one act of kindness at a time. Regardless of political affiliation, age, gender or religion, we each have the capacity to impact the lives of those around us.
A California Highway Patrol officer displayed her character recently when she came to the assistance of a woman in need.
On Sunday, April 28, Officer Leslie Poteet was called to the bus stop at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza. A 90-year-old woman attended Sunday church service in the area and was attempting to make her way home.
Even for those who know where the are going, the toll plaza is hectic and can be dangerous with the amount of traffic that passes through each day.
The woman had been dropped off at the bus stop after the service, but had trouble locating the transfer station for her next ride. By the time Marin County Highway Patrol officers arrived, she had been wandering the area for two exhausting hours.
When Officer Poteet first arrived, she helped the woman locate the correct bus and station, but then decided to help in an even bigger way.
Since the weather near the bridge was cold and windy that day, the officer decided to give the woman a ride home rather than have her subjected to the elements even longer.
The California Highway Patrol – Marin Facebook page said “Officer Poteet decided that she had already been through enough and that a ride home in a warm patrol car would be far better than waiting any longer in the cold wind by the bridge.”
Rather than just do her job, Officer Poteet displayed an exemplary kindness by going above and beyond to ensure this woman’s safety and comfort.
This act of kindness is not the first for Poteet, however.
Just before New Year, she came to the assistance of a San Rafael, California, resident named Thomas B. who had broken down on the side of the road near another bus stop.
“She wouldn’t leave until she knew I was safe and that a tow truck was on its way,” Thomas said. “She also promised to check in on me if I was still waiting for a tow truck when she made her return trip.”
Thomas praised her and has been spreading the word, even sharing the encounter in a Yelp review.
“We forget a lot, that these are like our soldiers, people in uniform that are there to protect our way of life. We should honor them sometimes in a little way like saying thank you and tell them to have a safe day.”
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