Homeless Dad Approaches Police Officers in Miami and Gets More Than He Bargained For

Homeless Dad Approaches Police Officers in Miami and Gets More Than He Bargained for Police Officer Jose De Leon was patrolling a bus depot at Miami-Dade International Airport when he ran into a homeless dad But he had no way of knowing that this stranger would end up changing his routine in the days of his entire department Miami-Dade Police Officers Jose De Leon, Robert Ascoy, Isabel Soto, Diane Willem, and Scott McBath were patrolling a travel hub near Miami-Dade International Airport This wasn't their first time doing so. It had become a ritual for them But something about this day would change their lives forever and spread their story across the world The officers had a combined 80 years of experience in law enforcement and like all cops They were stationed to serve and protect But they had no idea that their oath would be put to the test on this one fateful day I don't think any of us here considered ourselves heroes Officer Ascoy told CNN. We're doing our job at the end of the day. That's what we signed up for That's what we swore to do right in our community But they were about to face one of their biggest challenges But as these police officers will tell you being a cop isn't always about catching bad guys and writing tickets Strange things can happen when you're patrolling the streets Some might take years to get over but nothing in their experience could have prepared them for this Sacrificing for the good of others is officer Ascoy's mantra. It's literally a part of who he is He even has a tattoo on his arm that reads the true warrior is one who sacrifices himself for the good others And that's exactly what his fellow officers did Patrolling the travel hub at Miami International Airport means that these cops run into a lot of people from all different walks of life Some ask them for directions while others ask for help to find someone who has stolen their wallet or purse But this wasn't either of those cases. Not once have they ever questioned their decision to help someone in need They do the job they've sworn to do and they do it with a smile, too But that wasn't the case in October 2019 when someone approached officer DeLeon But what did the man want? Cops often get a bad rap because of a few bad apples in law enforcement This sometimes causes some people to panic prematurely when they see an officer of the law, but this stranger wasn't running away He was coming straight towards DeLeon and he seemed desperate Most cops would reach for their weapon just in case but DeLeon saw something in the man's eyes that told him to stand his ground Still he wasn't sure what the man wanted But he was certain that this guy didn't have much to lose and that was potentially a bad sign The man was desperate. It was obvious in his face and in his eyes But what was he looking for? It would have been foolish to try to steal from a cop It didn't take long for DeLeon to realize that money was exactly what he wanted from him The stranger was clearly down on his luck and not in the best state of mind Worst of all, DeLeon was all by himself. His fellow officers were nowhere in sight He could radio in for help, but would they arrive in time? When the man approached DeLeon, he came all by himself His family was standing nearby. He quickly realized he wasn't really a threat After speaking to the man for a few moments, the police officer was eager to reach into his pocket and take something out But what was it? The man told the officer that he and his family had moved from Michigan to Florida He was going to work as a cook, but then they got kicked out of a relative's home and now they were homeless Desperate times call for desperate measures So they took shelter in the bus depot, but they were in desperate need of help They were all alone So DeLeon immediately knew that he and his fellow officers had to take action So, he approached officer Azkai and his fellow officers and told them that they had a family that needed their help But when they saw it with their own eyes, they were left speechless DeLeon and the officers visited the homeless dad and his family and saw that they had stashed their belongings inside several garbage bags They also noticed that the man's wife was holding a two-month-old in her arms and they had other kids The five officers were completely heartbroken for the homeless dad and his family They were all parents themselves and would never want any child to experience the pain of being hungry or live without a roof over their head So they came up with a way to help this family in need They reached towards their pockets, which would normally send chills down a civilian's spine But they didn't take a weapon or handcuffs out. They had something amazing in mind They took out all the money that they had in their pockets and combined it Collectively, they nearly had $200, which they gladly surrendered to the homeless dad and his family But one officer was brought to tears Officer Wilhelm couldn't believe that a newborn baby had been sleeping at a bus station As a new mother herself, this really tugged at her heartstrings. I had just taken out money that morning and I just, I gave it up, Wilhelm told CNN. But $200 wasn't enough After giving the family the money, they made a few calls and found a local shelter that could accommodate the family of six But the officers didn't simply give them the address and then take off. The police officers drove the family to the shelter But there were so many people that they couldn't take them all at once It took three units to carry everybody and their belongings. Officer McBath recalled The officers said that the man and his wife expressed their gratitude to them But the homeless dad's priorities were clear. The family didn't have a home in Florida But their problems would be solved if they went back to Michigan. So the next step was clear Had the homeless dad not approached officer de Leon, the family would still be living at the bus depot instead of a shelter But they didn't want to live like this forever and now they had the resources to get home Although the officers haven't heard from the homeless dad since The family used the money and the shelter's resources to finally get back to Michigan The officers hope that they'll be able to get their lives back together I don't think any of us here consider ourselves heroes Officer Uskoy told CNN. We're doing our job at the end of the day. That's what we signed up for That's what we swore to do right in our community. Sounds like the force needs more officers like these amazing fellows