Photo Of Deputy Comforting Baby At The Scene Of An Accident Goes Viral

If you’ve been in a car accident, you know how scary it can be. Even if you escape without injury, those moments afterward trying to catch your breath and calm down can be very intense. That feeling is amplified if you have your kids in the car when it happens. That’s why this viral photo of a cop comforting a baby while her mother sat nearby recovering is such a sweet thing to see. It’s a small gesture, but a very meaningful one.

Deputy Ric Lindley of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene of an accident involving an ambulance, an 18-wheeler and three vehicles. By some miracle, no one was seriously injured. Lindley and his partner, Deputy Tim Sanford, were the first on the scene. Among those involved were a young mom and her baby, whom Lindley spotted off to the side of the accident wreckage. From AL.com, Lindley says, “She was pretty well shaken up, so I asked her if I could hold the baby. I wanted to give her mother time to regain her composure. She’s a young mother, and this was probably extremely traumatic for her.” That’s when Deputy Sanford took this sweet photo of Lindley comforting the baby, in the natural manner of a seasoned father and grandfather:

This photo was posted to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page and went viral within a day. The comments are overwhelmingly positive, praising Deputy Lindley for his kind and fatherly act. Lindley, father of three and grandfather of seven, says, “I’m just a man. I’m not better or worse than anyone else. I’m just a dad and a grandfather. That’s about it.” While his humility is admirable, this is obviously above and beyond the call of duty. His requirement as a law enforcement officer is to ensure the safety of all involved in an accident. Though this young mom was alright physically, she had emotional needs that needed tending, and not all emergency responders may have noticed that. Deputy Lindley zeroing in on that in her time of need is nothing short of heroic and very worthy of recognition.

All parents hope that someone will step in to comfort and care for their children if they find themselves unable. Deputy Lindley did exactly that and although he denies that it was anything special, we know better. It might have only been a few moments of his time, but it made a big difference for this mom and baby. He deserves every bit of praise he’s receiving.