Missouri teen shielded elderly woman from rain with his jacket
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (WDAF/CNN) – Police are looking for a teenager in Independence, Missouri – but not because he did anything wrong.
It’s what the young man did right that has authorities wanting to talk to him. It was a random act of kindness – captured in a photograph that went viral.
A police officer snapped the photo. He had just stopped for a bite to eat on Sunday when he saw the teen helping an elderly woman in the parking lot.
“It was pouring down rain, and all the sudden I see this teenager running across the parking lot taking his coat off,” said Officer Joe Holt with the Independence Police Department.
Holt sat back in his patrol car in awe of the teen – watching him as he took off his own jacket, and draped it over an elderly woman struggling to get to her car – escorting her the rest of the way there.
“I was just totally thrilled by it and I couldn’t let it go unnoticed,” said Holt.
So he followed the boy to his mom’s van – where he described what her son had just done.
“She teared up pretty good. It was a moment between the both of us. I mean I teared up a little bit. I’m a parent as well. So, I told her that I was very impressed with him and that he should be proud,” said Holt.
Holt posted the picture on Facebook, creating quite the buzz – inspiring kindness around the world.
Holt only wants to talk to one person – the boy with a big heart in the picture. Do you know him?
“As much love that kid displayed that day, that kid could go places. And I think he could set an example for what society needs to be,” said Holt.
Holt wants to reward him with dinner.
“He’s the hero. I’m just the photographer in this situation. So it’s wherever he wants to go. It’s on my dime. So he can pick,” Holt said.
Holt extended a public invitation to the teen to reach out to the Independence Police Department.