Sometimes it’s the tiniest acts of kindness that can end up making a huge difference in someone’s life. This picture of an officer holding an infant after his parents were involved in a car crash has tugged at social media users’ hearts.
“The driver of the sport utility vehicle (SUV) was not from the area and was unfamiliar with the freeway,” Officer Ahmu told The Epoch Times via email. “As the SUV exited the freeway, it veered off the road and crashed into a ditch.”
The husband, who was driving the car, suffered nonthreatening injuries but needed to be transported to a hospital via an ambulance, while the car suffered major damage. Meanwhile, the wife and two children aged 3 and 6 weeks were seated at the back of Officer’s Ahmu’s partner’s patrol car at the collision spot and were trying to cool off, as the temperature that day had soared to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).
“The mother and children looked uncomfortable due to the heat and the stress of the situation but the mother was doing a great job in consoling her children,” Officer Ahmu said, alluding to the moment. The CHP officer was then tasked to transport the mother and her two children to another vehicle so that they could go back home from the scene of the collision.
As the woman was trying her best to exit the patrol car, the 3-year-old girl held on to her mom and didn’t let her get up. Upon witnessing this, Officer Ahmu approached the mom of two and offered to hold the toddler; however, the scared little girl clung on more tightly to her mother.
“I was wearing my mask at the time, so I took it off to not look so scary; but, she still would not let go of her mother,” Officer Ahmu said. “The mother tried getting out of the car while holding both children but was unable to.”
That’s when the eight-year veteran of CHP had the “honor” of holding the infant instead so that the mom could get out of his partner’s patrol car.
Recalling the “surreal experience” of holding the baby, Officer Ahmu said that he was actually really nervous. “I was thinking to myself, ‘Oh please don’t start crying or you are going right back to mom’ but as I held him he felt relaxed in my arms.”
Officer Ahmu admits that he was completely unaware that the little one had actually fallen asleep and only realized it when he saw a picture of it. “I loved every moment holding him,” he said.
One social media user wrote, “That was a wonderful act of kindness. So heartfelt.” While another chimed in, “The police are good people also sheriff’s look at this police officer taking care of this baby.”
However, for the officer, who is the father of six children, he just felt happy with the moment and didn’t think it would get such an overwhelming response. He said when his friends told him about the viral picture, he felt very “confused” as he was just trying to carry a baby from one vehicle to another.
“[A]fter reading some comments, I realize it evoked a positive message at a time when there’s been so much negative news,” Officer Ahmu commented. “I’m proud that it brings people happiness.”
Although in his career the officer had the opportunity to console various children at emergency spots, he admits this was the first time he had the “rare and special” experience to hold an infant.
“I was elated that they were not injured as a result of the collision which is a testament to their parents who properly restrained them in an appropriate child car seat,” he concluded.
Friends Read Free