Get ready, because you’re about to read the BEST feel good story of the week.
In a Facebook post last month that has since gone viral, The Benicia Police Department shared the heartwarming story of one teenager and his new friendship with a California police officer.
You see, 19-year-old Jourdan Duncan was walking two hours (yes, TWO HOURS) to and from work every day after his car broke down. One night on his trek home after his shift at Pro-Form Laboratories, Cpl. Kirk Keffer of the Benicia Police Department spotted him.
It was after 11 PM, so Keffer was concerned about why he was walking through such an industrial area. He stopped and called out to Duncan to make sure he was okay. Duncan was completely nervous, wondering if he had done something wrong. He explained that he was walking back home after his shift when Keffer offered him a ride home. Keffer was completely shocked that someone would walk over two hours to get to work, yet admired Duncan’s dedication to his job.
Duncan’s walking commute all started after he decided that burdening his friends and family to drive him to work was too much. He never even told his __parents that he was walking to work, they always thought he got a ride every day. He just didn’t want to take up anyone’s time.
Keffer believed that Duncan should be rewarded for his work ethic, and decided to seek approval from the Benicia Police Officers Association to buy Duncan a bike. The owner of the bike shop, Wheels in Motion, absolutely loved the story and donated a lighting system, brake light, and helmet. Keffer even called Duncan’s boss to plan the surprise.
“We would like to acknowledge your hard work and dedication for what you do and setting the example for kids your age. Hopefully this’ll make your trip easier.” Keffer told the teen.
Duncan was blown away by the gesture, and said the bike made him “feel more at ease,” since it reduced his commute to just an hour.
The teen recently graduated from high school, and he told the officer he’s been working to save up money for college, but that his ultimate goal is to become a California Highway Patrol officer.
“A lot of my family members, they’re in law enforcement,” Duncan said. “It’s like, what they do and, due to a lot of people thinking that there are bad cops out there, I want to prove that all cops aren’t bad — which is true, due to what just happened to me.”
After hearing this, Keffer continued to foster their friendship by taking Duncan on a ride-along so he could see police work first-hand. The Benecia Police Department also set up a GoFundMe page on his account to help raise money for him to make his dreams a reality, and they’re very close to meeting their $10k goal.
It’s stories like these that really restore your faith in humanity. Good luck, Jourdan Duncan. We have no doubt that with your work ethic and your newfound friendship with Cpl. Kirk Keffer, you’ll become a patrolmen in no time.
h/t: The Washington Post