A Special Case
Normally, people panic when they see a cop car behind them because they expect to get a ticket. They do their best to avoid that situation, but there are many reasons to get pulled over. William Jazwinsky learned that the hard way!
A Special Case
Shaking and Scared
He made sure he drove well and had never received a ticket or been in an accident. Therefore, he couldn’t understand why he had been stopped. However, he never expected what happened when the police officer got out of the cop car.
Shaking and Scared
Not Normal
The police officer got out of the patrol vehicle and walked slowly toward William’s car. He looked briefly at him and glanced toward the car’s dashboard. Immediately, William knew this wasn’t a normal interaction and became worried.
Not Normal
What’s to Come
Millions of questions ran through William’s mind, and his heart started racing. He couldn’t understand why he got pulled over or what was happening. Overall, he tried to stay calm as the officer walked to his window.
What’s to Come
Being Patient
William couldn’t stop feeling confused here. He knew he hadn’t been speeding and did nothing illegal while on the road. However, he realized he had to be quiet until he heard what the police officer said about this traffic stop.
Being Patient
Getting Nervous
He knew he had to obey any orders the cop gave him, so he pulled over when he saw the flashing lights. Then, he waited to be told what he had to do next. It felt like an eternity before the police officer arrived at his car window.
Getting Nervous
Asking a Question
Once the peace officer got to his car, William rolled down the window to greet him. He asked why he had been pulled over and wondered briefly if he had actually been speeding and didn’t know it. Before he could think, he blurted out that question.
Asking a Question
The Hold Up
It felt like time stood still after he asked the question, and the cop took a long time to answer. It seemed like everything was in slow motion, and there was no rush to respond to the man in the car. Why was he pulled over, and what did the police officer say to him?
The Hold Up
Nothing Wrong
William was surprised when the cop told him that he wasn’t giving the driver a ticket at all. In fact, he was shocked when the police officer said, “Good morning.” Finally, he responded that the man wasn’t speeding.
Nothing Wrong
No Specific Reason
The police officer went on, saying that he hadn’t been pulled over for a specific reason. However, that confused William, making him feel slightly scared and nervous. The cop had to want something for stopping him at that moment.
No Specific Reason
Thank You
William was getting frustrated, but it turned out that the cop only pulled him over to tell him something specific. In fact, the police officer leaned in and said he wanted to stop and thank the man for his service.
Thank You
Where the Knowledge Came From
What service was this officer thanking the man for? How had he known about anything this driver had done in the past? William was actually more confused than ever, and that made him worry slightly.
Where the Knowledge Came From
Knowing Each Other
William was shocked that a random police officer might know something like that about him when the pair hadn’t met before. However, he now wondered if they had gone to school together or something, and he had just forgotten about it.
Knowing Each Other
A Symbol
Finally, it clicked. William knew why this officer thanked him for his service – he had a bumper sticker on his pickup truck, so everyone knew he had been in the Army. He often had people honk or wave to thank him for serving, but he’d never been stopped by a cop for that reason.
A Symbol
Not Over
Once William realized that, he thanked the police officer warmly. He mentioned the bumper sticker and told the officer, “You’re welcome, sir. My pleasure.” However, that wasn’t the end of the encounter. It was actually the beginning for the pair!
Not Over
A Few Questions
William thought he could leave, but the officer wasn’t prepared for that. The cop kept him there for a bit longer to ask questions about the young veteran. Specifically, he wanted to know where he served during his service.
A Few Questions
It Seemed Fishy
At first, William felt skeptical of everything that was happening, and that was likely his military training kicking in. He knew that it wasn’t the police officer’s responsibility to ask him about his service. What was his answer to the question?!
It Seemed Fishy
Moving On
William answered by saying that he had been a heavy-wheel vehicle operator and had gotten back recently from a stint in the Middle East. He had been at Fort Bennington in Iraq for 15 months. This man only wanted to go back to civilian life and was pulled over to be pestered with Army questions!
Moving On
Makes No Sense
The police officer did actually have a reason to be curious about what William had done in Iraq. However, the military man had no idea why he had been stopped or why the cop was asking so many questions. It made him very nervous!
Makes No Sense
Like His Son
Overall, the cop had ulterior motives and finally told William that his son had been in Iraq to serve recently. That was the primary reason for pulling the man over. He wanted to feel connected to someone who understood what his family had gone through!
Like His Son
See Things Differently
This police officer just wanted to learn more about what his son went through from someone who experienced those same things in the service. As he started talking about his son in Iraq, William began to see things much differently.
See Things Differently
He Passed Away
Though he understood what the cop was going through, he’d recently finished a PTSD program, so it was new for him to talk about what happened in the war. Then, the police officer told William something that rocked him to the core and made him sad.
He Passed Away
Speechless
The cop’s son had died while on duty in Iraq. He hadn’t made it home, and that was causing the police officer severe anguish. He struggled to speak because it was so sad, and William’s heart broke. All he could do was listen to the poor man and let him grieve.
Speechless
Noticed Something
William felt sympathy for the cop and felt slightly bad about enjoying life while this man’s son couldn’t. Softly, he said he was sorry to hear about the loss of life. The policeman regained his composure and noticed something on the guy’s dashboard before letting him go.
Noticed Something
The Folded Flag
The police officer looked up to tell the young man he could go on his way and saw something resting on the car’s dashboard that immediately caught his attention. It was a deliberately folded US flag!
The Folded Flag
Caught His Eye
If a US military soldier dies, an American flag is folded into a triangle, representing the lost lives of those who served. Each fold signifies something. The police officer pointed out the flag, and William said he folded it to honor all the fallen men who had fought for their country.
Caught His Eye
Just Like That
The moment he noticed the folded flag on the man’s dashboard, he thought about the one he had in his home. It had been given to him through the Army to be a memory of his deceased son. That man served and lost his life, too.
Just Like That
Out for a Spin
The cop asked William for a favor, and he didn’t hesitate. On that spring day, the man had decided to go for a relaxed ride. He didn’t have to work, so he could do whatever he pleased now. It was a great feeling, and he was anxious to get back to it.
Out for a Spin
A Hug
However, the cop had asked William to step out of the truck. For a brief moment, he was nervous, but the police officer only wanted to embrace him. This sad peace officer asked if he minded receiving a hug from a stranger!
A Hug
Can’t Say No
Clearly, this wasn’t a routine situation. After he asked, the cop burst into tears. Initially, William was shocked by the request. It’s not every day that a police officer stops you to ask for a hug. He felt he truly had no choice in this matter.
Can’t Say No
The Reason Why
Tears fell down the cop’s face while he bared his soul to this young man. Finally, he explained to William that he got pulled over because he looked just like his deceased son. That’s something that rocked William to his core, and he was so shocked to learn about it!
The Reason Why
A Warm Embrace
William was now crying at this time and didn’t try to hold back his tears. He got out of the vehicle, opened his arms wide, and hugged the police officer. They were both crying, and neither one of them cared how they looked to the rest of the world.
A Warm Embrace
The Stranger’s Love
William had spent a lot of time on the field and suffered mental and physical anguish. However, he was proud to offer this stranger that passionate embrace. It was his first encounter with the cop, but they both appreciated the hug.
The Stranger’s Love
They Both Needed It
You probably think that the men had wet eyes, but that’s not entirely true. They were actually sobbing and on their knees because of the sheer magnitude of the moment. The cop might have asked for the hug, but the young man also needed it just as much.
They Both Needed It
Going Viral
Soon after the incident, someone posted it on social media, and it got shared and viewed millions of times. Many people throughout the world responded, and the post got more than 48,000 reactions. The hashtag read, “Love what matters!”
Going Viral
Relatable
People sympathized with the police officer and empathized with William. He was taken aback by the support he got. In fact, he was honored for his service, and people told their stories about lost loved ones and all the rest. It was an amazing situation!
Relatable
Now a Father Himself
After that life-changing encounter, William’s life sped up and went in new directions. He is now the dad of a beautiful girl who he cherishes very much. She is everything to him, and he’s so happy!
Now a Father Himself
A Father
William had been taught to appreciate whatever time he had left and to spend it with those he loved. Overall, he learned to value that time, especially when he had a daughter of his own.
A Father
An Amazing Person
We’re sure that William is doing a fantastic job being this girl’s father. He surely loves his daughter and wants to protect her like he did his country many years ago. Overall, he showed kindness to a stranger once and has taken that to heart.
An Amazing Person
Destiny
Those two men were complete strangers, but fate scheduled them to meet. William had been dealing with tough times, but the police officer’s story helped him understand that he should be grateful for his life.
Destiny
Another Story
When 19 year old US Army soldier Keaton Tilson finally received approval to go home to Granite City, Illinois for Memorial Day weekend, he was ecstatic to be able to spend with his family. However, there was one problem.
Another Story
Trickier Than Usual
Since he got the approval with such short notice, he knew it would be tricky to get a ticket in time. He tried to get a ticket home from Texas, where he is stationed, but was only able to get on standby. He attempted several times to get on a flight, but he was not successful. He was starting to feel nervous, worrying that he wouldn’t make it home in time at this rate.
Trickier Than Usual
It Was Tough
Tilson kept trying time after time to get onto a flight. He wanted to make it home, since he missed his family a great deal the whole time he was away.
It Was Tough
A Stranger Noticed
Josh Rainey, who didn’t know Tilson beforehand, noticed that the soldier wasn’t able to get onto these flights. He felt bad, seeing the young man missing each of these flight opportunities, and he knew he had to do something about it.
A Stranger Noticed
What He Did
Rainey made a decision that would stun everyone. At first, Rainey went over to try to trade tickets with Tilson. However, the airline staff told him that Tilson was not next in line of standby, so Rainey did something totally unexpected.
What He Did
He Paid For It
When he realized that trading tickets with Tilson wouldn’t guarantee him a seat on the flight, he decided to buy him a new plane ticket instead. Rainey said: “I didn’t go over there thinking I was going to buy a ticket, but it didn’t look like he just wanted to go home, it looked like it was for a reason.”
He Paid For It
Why He Did It
He continued: “He shook my hand and walked away and then came back and asked if he could give me a hug. Getting a hug from him was the most payment I could’ve gotten. This is so much more about him.”
Why He Did It
Quality Time With Family
Rainey then said: “He has chosen to give up at least the next four years of his life. He got the week off. Instead of choosing to travel or see another country, he had to get home to his family.”
Quality Time With Family
He Couldn’t Believe It
Tilson couldn’t believe that this stranger could be so kind. He never in his wildest dreams thought that somebody would see the difficulty he was going through and then step in to help in such a huge way.
He Couldn’t Believe It
Calling His Mom
When Rainey paid for his ticket, Tilson immediately called his mom to share the amazing news with her. His mother, Jennifer Tilson, shared: “He missed a couple of flights because they were full. He called back a few minutes later all choked up and said, ‘Somebody just bought my ticket.'”
Calling His Mom
So Meaningful
Since Tilson, who is stationed in Fort Worth, Texas, had not been home since Christmas, it meant a great to amount to the whole family that he would be able to come home for Memorial Day weekend.
So Meaningful
Feeling Grateful
Rainey paid $350 for the new plane ticket, and Jennifer was extremely grateful for his generosity. She said: “I needed to personally and publicly thank him,. You don’t hear of that all the time of a complete stranger willing to spend all that money. We needed to find out who he was.”
Feeling Grateful
Short But Sweet
Jennifer continued: “We are super appreciative that Josh did this so Keaton could come home. I know it was short, but it was better than nothing.”
Short But Sweet
Hard To Believe
It is quite uncommon for a total stranger to pay for an entire plane ticket for someone they don’t know, which is what truly makes Rainey such a good Samaritan. Many should follow his lead.
Hard To Believe
Made It In Time
Thanks to Rainey’s kindness and generosity, Tilson was able to make it home in time to be with his family on Memorial Day weekend. He even surprised his siblings to truly maximize this exciting and emotional event!
Made It In Time