A week ago, on March 11th, a Facebook user named Chris Barnes posted an image of a police officer, Michael Rivers, sharing a pepperoni pizza with an older woman in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The user rejoiced at “Goldsboro’s Finest” sharing lunch with a homeless person.

More info: Instagram

Image credits: Chris Barnes

Image credits: Chris Barnes

Michael Rivers, an officer with nine years of experience, admitted that it was the shirt that caught his attention, as the shirt said, “Homeless. The fastest way of becoming a nobody.” At first, they only politely nodded to each other, but then the officer came around as the “Lord put it on my heart to get her lunch,” he said to Bored Panda. He turned back and asked her if she had eaten that day, and she said, “No.” Then Rivers went and got some pepperoni and cheese pizza.

For 45 minutes or so, they shared a great lunch and, more importantly, an even greater conversation. They also share a name, as Michael got to know Michelle’s name. Michelle opened up about her daughter of 12, who has liver disease and is in a foster home. She also has a son, 23, and a husband that stood across the street as they conversed. They prayed and then they went their separate ways. “My heart felt joy that I was able to help someone who felt like she was alone,” confided the policeman.

Image credits: ofc_rivers

Image credits: ofc_rivers

“Law enforcement does so much for our community, with a lot of it going unnoticed. We see you, Goldsboro P.D. Keep up the good work,” Chris Barnes expressed in his Facebook post.

Image credits: ofc_rivers

A little help goes a long way. The deed certainly did not go unnoticed: it exploded on social media and went viral across the internet. The post itself reached over 5k shares and 3k likes, and the story caught the attention of local media as well as major networks. The officer stayed grounded and humble while he was in the spotlight. “Homeless people are just people who are down on their luck,” Rivers told CNN. “It can happen to anybody.”

Image credits: ofc_rivers

Officer Michael Rivers is, without a doubt, an exemplary officer, and his department is pleased to have him. “I come to work, and my method is, ‘Who can I bless today? Who can I make smile?’” Rivers said. “I’m not the one that wants to take somebody’s father or mother away and put them in jail.” Truly a police officer many would appreciate having around in their town. A real paragon of virtue!

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