Bus Passes Special Needs Woman Stranded in the Rain, Deputy Rolls By and Doesn't Hesitate to Act
If you need reason to feel good about humanity and our first responders today, you could certainly do worse than a viral video showing police officers in Florida assisting a special needs woman who was stuck out in the rain on the way to play bingo.
The video was posted to YouTube by Florida Man Body Cams, which uses Florida’s so-called “Sunshine Laws” — which allow citizens access to government records that wouldn’t be made public in other states — to gather footage of police situations.
Most aren’t exactly pleasant, and this one wasn’t to begin with. Unlike most of these exchanges, however, this one had a heartwarming end to it.
While the video was initially recorded on July 21, 2022, it was just released on the channel this week. It involved a woman in Escambia County, Florida — home to Pensacola — who was on her way to her bingo game when she got stuck in the rain.
After police received an assist citizen call, they came across the woman in a motorized cart, stuck on the side of the road. She explained that the bus had passed her by and she’d been left soaking wet.
The officers determined the woman’s address and got her a few small towels to dry off after they covered her with an umbrella.
When they asked whether she wanted an EMS, she said she simply wanted ECAT — Escambia County Area Transit, the bus service, which has buses for those who need special assistance.
She’d been left out in the rain, without anyone stopping or trying to help her. And she didn’t want to stop at home for dry clothes, she just wanted a ride to bingo.
“That’s awful,” the officer with the body cam said upon getting back in the vehicle, regarding the woman’s situation.
“She’s asking for an ECAT bus that’s wheelchair accessible. This poor lady’s hosed, completely drenched,” he said over the radio. “Could you try and contact them to see if they could help us on this one?”
Two cops at the scene discussed the matter, with the body-cammed officer noting that “she still just wants to go play bingo.”
“Well, the rain stopped now,” the other cop said.
An ECAT representative then arrived and the cop told the story — how the bus didn’t see her because she got stuck in the mud.
“Oh, my my my,” the man from ECAT said, shaking his head sadly.
“She’s soaking wet from head to toe,” the cop said. “But no matter what, she said she wants to go to freaking Town and Country to play, she said, ‘That’s where my bus takes me, that’s where I want to go.'”
“I’ll take her to Town and Country, man,” the ECAT representative said.
“Then you’re a good man, because I felt so bad for that lady,” the police officer said. He ended up blocking traffic so she could get in.
WARNING: The following video contains some graphic language that some viewers will find offensive.
Commenters were appreciative for what the police had done.
“I’m so glad this officer saw this lady and stopped to help her. It’s sad to think how long she would have been stuck there with all of the cars passing by. If you see someone in need of help please lend a helping hand,” one said.
“Autistic people can sometimes be VERY set on routine. She said she plays Bingo every day; missing that & breaking her routine would be extremely agitating/upsetting for her, hence the insistence on going even though she’s soaking wet. Bless the primary Officer on scene for being so compassionate,” another added.
“Thanks to these caring, kind, and patient officers. Momma just wanted to go play bingo,” another remarked.
Indeed she did. And thanks to these first responders and ECAT officials, she was able to. God bless you all, fellows.
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