Kindness Gone Viral
APD Officer Helps Parent Be At Child's Surgery
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —On Thursday afternoon, a concerned citizen called police to report a couple with a baby, pan-handling at a bus stop at Lomas and San Mateo boulevards.
It was 35 degrees outside. Officer Luis Hernandez responded. "The caller was concerned that the baby was out in the cold weather," he told Action 7 News Friday. The baby was a 2 1/2-year-old girl, bundled in blankets, and looking up at Hernandez with her big blue eyes.
"The first thing I thought when I saw her was from 'The Simpsons'," he said. "You know, she looked like a little star all bundled up." Hernandez said the family's story tugged at his heart-strings. "They were pan-handling to get enough money for one of the parents to also follow the rest of the family to the hospital in Denver," Hernandez said.
Hernandez told Action 7 News the little girl has already had heart surgery, and her follow-up surgery appointment is in Denver soon. The couple has enough money for the girl and mother to go, but needed funds for their father to travel.
Police said with the medical expenses, the couple are struggling to make ends meet, and they did have jobs.
All they needed was a bus ticket. So Officer Hernandez bought them one.
"I have a child that was recently diagnosed with epilepsy," he said. "I know how hard it can be when you have to deal with medications and additional care, and it puts a burden on the family and that's the spot that they were in."
Hernandez also said his fellow officers helped him out during his own crisis, and he saw this as a chance to give back. The couple said Officer Hernandez went "above and beyond not only as an officer, but as a human being."
It was 35 degrees outside. Officer Luis Hernandez responded. "The caller was concerned that the baby was out in the cold weather," he told Action 7 News Friday. The baby was a 2 1/2-year-old girl, bundled in blankets, and looking up at Hernandez with her big blue eyes.
"The first thing I thought when I saw her was from 'The Simpsons'," he said. "You know, she looked like a little star all bundled up." Hernandez said the family's story tugged at his heart-strings. "They were pan-handling to get enough money for one of the parents to also follow the rest of the family to the hospital in Denver," Hernandez said.
Hernandez told Action 7 News the little girl has already had heart surgery, and her follow-up surgery appointment is in Denver soon. The couple has enough money for the girl and mother to go, but needed funds for their father to travel.
Police said with the medical expenses, the couple are struggling to make ends meet, and they did have jobs.
All they needed was a bus ticket. So Officer Hernandez bought them one.
"I have a child that was recently diagnosed with epilepsy," he said. "I know how hard it can be when you have to deal with medications and additional care, and it puts a burden on the family and that's the spot that they were in."
Hernandez also said his fellow officers helped him out during his own crisis, and he saw this as a chance to give back. The couple said Officer Hernandez went "above and beyond not only as an officer, but as a human being."