At a time of high tension between cops and black Americans, a white cop has shown compassion to a black woman who was caught shop lifting eggs, this story is so moving it actually brought me to tears.
As reported by DailyMail
The compassion shown by Officer William Stacy to desperate Alabama mother Helen Johnson captured the nation's attention at a time of strained relations between the police and black Americans.
Instead of arresting her for stealing five eggs to feed her starving family on Saturday, Stacy bought the carton and the touching hug they shared afterwards caught on video by a stunned passer-by went viral.
But it got even better on Wednesday when Officer Stacy and some colleagues arrived at 47-year-old Johnson's home with two truckloads of food to keep her and her children and grandchildren fed through Christmas.
'The last time I saw my house this full, I was 12-years-old and staying with my grandmother,'' said Johnson to Al.Com. 'I've been crying all day.'Officer Willaim Stacy hugs a still crying Helen Johnson as she watches another officer bring more donated food to her house. Johnson's granddaughter Tamarose Johnson, 3, smiles at the front door as she watches too
The reaction to the viral hug was so imense that Tarrant Police Chief Dennie Reno said that he had to bring in a second police dispatch officer just to field the calls of donations for Johnson coming in from the around the country.
'As of right now, with all the stuff going on in Ferguson and New York and all over the US, it's good to have this kind of story,' said Officer Stacy to AL.Com. 'It gives a positive image for law enforcement.'
Officers also set up a fund at People's First Federal Credit Union in Tarrant with all the money pouring in destined to be handed to the Johnson family.
'It's growing and growing and growing,' said Reno to Al.com. 'A guy called me from New York and just broke down. He said for two months he's been angry with police, and he said this has totally changed his mind.'
But Reno said that the best outcome for everyone out of the heart-warming episode was that Johnson will not be forced to steal just to feed her family, especially during the Holidays.
'This woman's getting plenty of food,' said Reno to Al.com. 'She shouldn't be hungry for a while.'
Every week Johnson feeds her two daughters, niece and two grandchildren, ages 1 and 3 with her welfare check of just $120 a month.
However, last week the money was lost in the mail, leaving the Johnsons perilously close to starvation.
By Saturday, the family had not eaten for two days, so Johnson went to Dollar General with only $1.25 to try and buy eggs.
To her despair she found herself 50 cents short of the tax and put five eggs into her pockets.
At the time it may not have seemed that way, but fortuitously the eggs broke in her pocket.
'I am not a good thief at all,' said Johnson to Al.Com.
Stopped as she tried to leave with egg whites and yolks dripping from her jacket pocket, Johnson admitted immediately she had stolen them.
The store had already called the police and when Officer Stacy arrived he told her to stay where she was while he spoke to the store owners.
They decided together not to press charges against Johnson but when they went to speak to the grandmother she expected the handcuffs to come out.
'She started crying, she got very emotional and was very apologetic,' said Stacy said. 'She tried to give me the money she had on her, $1.25.'
It was then that Stacy explained that she was not going to be arrested. He remembered her from a prior visit to her house and recalled how poverty stricken she was. Her family all sleep on mattresses on the floor.
'The story she told me Saturday matched up with what I had seen when I was there,' said Stacy according to Al.com.
'I felt like it was the right thing to do. I didn't want to pass judgment on her.'
He bought her a carton of eggs and when Johnson asked Stacy how she could repay him, he simply asked her never to shoplift again.
'I hope she won't do it again. I pray she doesn't, and I don't think she will,' said Stacy.
Just before she got into her car, Johnson turned to hug Stacy and unknown to them, the moment was captured on cellphone by Robert 'Dollar' Tripp who posted it to Facebook with the hashtag, 'feelgoodstoryoftheday'.
'I thought it was about the eggs. My grandbaby said, 'Are you going to jail?' and I said I hoped not.'
She was not being arrested and instead was taken to Tarrant police station where they revealed she was to not only get food, but toys and clothing from well-wishers who had donated them for Johnson's family.
And then on Wednesday, Officer Stacy and Officer Jay Jenkins brought the food to Johnson - causing her understandably to break down in tears.
'I just busted out and started hollering,' said Johnson to Al.com. 'I was yelling so loud. I would have been a good cheerleader.'
Johnson then said her life has been changed forever because of Stacy and could never thank him enough.
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