Flashback: Police Officer Discovers Young Man Walking to Work, Offers Him Life-Changing Gift
A California police department’s act of kindness changed the life of a young man after an officer noticed he walked several hours to and from work.
Jourdan Duncan, who was 18 at the time, walked from his parents’ house in Vallejo, California, to his job in Benicia. His commute was a seven-mile journey that the young man took two hours each way, KTVU-TV reported.
Duncan got a job at Pro-Form Laboratories after graduating from high school, working from 3 p.m. to midnight to save for college and to repair his broken-down car, according to Fox News.
He said he made the decision to walk to and from work instead of being a burden on his coworkers.
It was during his walk home from work one night in September 2016 that he encountered Cpl. Kirk Keffer of the Benecia Police Department.
“Usually in the industrial area, there’s no foot traffic, so it was kind of weird to see someone walking around on foot,” Keffer told The Washington Post.
He talked to Duncan and learned about the long walks to and from work.
The officer was so impressed by Duncan’s hard work and determination that he wanted to help him out, so Keffer asked his department and the Benicia Police Officers’ Association to purchase a bike for the young man to make his commute easier.
The generosity of the officers didn’t stop there. They started a GoFundMe account for Duncan to raise money for his car and education expenses — and the fundraiser took in more than $50,000 in donations.
According to a KTVU follow-up story in February 2017, the young man used the money to pay for classes at Solano Community College and purchase a 2003 Volkswagen Passat.
The report said Duncan was pursuing a degree in criminal justice with the goal of becoming a California Highway Patrol officer.
“I’m just super proud of him. He could have went so many different ways with that money,” Keffer told KTVU. “He’s got a bright future ahead of him. I just hope that he continues down this path.”
In a time of great tension between the law enforcement and minority communities in America, it is heartwarming to see an entire police department reaffirm its oath to serve and protect the people of the community.
Residents who know the police are there for them will be more likely to cooperate with law enforcement, making officers’ jobs easier as a whole.
I applaud Cpl. Kirk Keffer for his compassion and hope that his act of incredible kindness would serve as an example to all Americans and especially those in positions of leadership in America today.
The officer took it upon himself to help out a person in need. He didn’t judge Duncan based on his race or creed; instead, he took the time to listen to a young man and understand his struggles.
The encouraging thing is that Keffer not only listened but also took action to make a positive change in Duncan’s life.
That is the kind of leadership we need to see, and I would also argue that is who we are as Americans when the chips are down.
We are facing challenges in the country today that do not have easy, one-size-fits-all solutions, but we must never allow ourselves to judge someone too quickly regardless of what walk of life we come from.
It’s the profound acts of kindness such as the deeds of the Benicia police officers that will make a real change in this county.
Who knows what impact Duncan will have on his community, all because the local police went beyond their call of duty to help him?
Compassion toward our neighbor is what will heal our country, not some law or decree of the government.
That is what protecting and serving looks like, and I hope that this spark of genuine kindness will lead to a revolution of love and mutual respect between law enforcement officers and the people in their communities.
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