View Full Version : NYPD Officer's Charity Act Goes Viral
DIYPatriot
11-30-2012, 15:55
Some of you may have seen this story making its rounds. For those that haven't, I found it quite compelling. The cool part of the story, to me, is that the person that snapped the photo is a seasoned LEO from Arizona who was on vacation with her husband.
"It was extremely cold out, and ... you could see the blisters from like 10, 15 feet away," DePrimo told CNN on Friday morning. "He was a gentleman when I had spoken to him, and I knew I had to help him."
Article (http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/30/i-knew-i-had-to-help-cop-says-of-charity-act-gone-viral/?hpt=hp_c2)
Team Sergeant
11-30-2012, 17:00
I read the article and am not surprised. I have friends that are LEO's and this sort of behavior happens everyday.
New York police Officer Larry DePrimo is a fine example of what it is to be human. ;)
While I applaud Officer DePrimo's altruism, I wonder if those boots are still on the recipient's feet. I'd suspect that they were sold or stolen. In some areas, they may cost him his life. Just saying.
Pat
DIYPatriot
11-30-2012, 23:03
While I applaud Officer DePrimo's altruism, I wonder if those boots are still on the recipient's feet. I'd suspect that they were sold or stolen. In some areas, they may cost him his life. Just saying.
Pat
I see what you're saying and can't blame you at all. To me, it doesn't matter where they are. My hope is that a man with blistered feet felt the compassion from another person, if for a fleeting second or longer. When I was working in Nuevo Laredo, I befriended a VERY poor family (by Nuevo Laredo standards) and gave them some things. About a year later, I returned and one of the kids still had my soccer jersey and other gear. And boy, was that stuff worn out! It felt good to give, but even better to see those things used and appreciated.
In some areas, they may cost him his life. To me, it doesn't matter where they are. My hope is that a man with blistered feet felt the compassion from another person, if for a fleeting second or longer.
Really?
Pat
DIYPatriot
12-01-2012, 08:44
Really?
I misspoke. It does matter. No one wants scammed and I didn't clarify that. If two police officers felt compelled to do something for this guy, after having observed him, then that's good enough for me.
After all, this was about an officer doing what he thought was in the best interest of this homeless man. He did it quietly and professionally. I admire folks like that.
medic&commo
12-01-2012, 11:02
It's gratifying to hear stories like this. We know there are many people like Officer DePrimo, but not near enough good news is ever widely publicized.
m&c
While I applaud Officer DePrimo's altruism, I wonder if those boots are still on the recipient's feet. I'd suspect that they were sold or stolen. In some areas, they may cost him his life. Just saying.
Pat
Do you feel he should have done nothing?
There have been many times I have given money to people on the street when they have asked for help. I have even filled the gas tank of strangers. Others have told me I was being too soft. That the money would be spent on booze, etc. But in my mind that is the recipient's issue not mine. I hope they use it wisely, but if they don't, they don't. I always fall back on "whatsoever you do, to the least of my people, that you do unto me".
Do you feel he should have done nothing?
“Feel” seems to be the operative word in this thread. The officer “feels” good for having helped a shoeless man. People made the story viral because it's a “feel-good” story. To re-word a proverb: "Give a man a fish and you will feel good about yourself. Teach a man to fish and you will display wisdom for others to emulate."
For Officer DePrimo, perhaps a wiser choice would have been to get the man to a shelter where even more of his needs could be addressed.
There have been many times I have given money to people on the street when they have asked for help. I have even filled the gas tank of strangers. Others have told me I was being too soft. That the money would be spent on booze, etc. But in my mind that is the recipient's issue not mine. I hope they use it wisely, but if they don't, they don't.
Do you truly feel good giving money to someone so that they can further indulge in the behavior that destroyed their lives?
I always fall back on "whatsoever you do, to the least of my people, that you do unto me".
“For I was shoeless and you shod me. I was in need of shelter, and you left me, feeling good about yourself.” Hmmm. Doesn't fit somehow.
Pat
“Feel” seems to be the operative word in this thread. The officer “feels” good for having helped a shoeless man. People made the story viral because it's a “feel-good” story. To re-word a proverb: "Give a man a fish and you will feel good about yourself. Teach a man to fish and you will display wisdom for others to emulate."
For Officer DePrimo, perhaps a wiser choice would have been to get the man to a shelter where even more of his needs could be addressed.
Do you truly feel good giving money to someone so that they can further indulge in the behavior that destroyed their lives?
“For I was shoeless and you shod me. I was in need of shelter, and you left me, feeling good about yourself.” Hmmm. Doesn't fit somehow
Pat
I certainly don't do it to feel better about myself. I do it because it is the right thing to do. Just like buying someone a healthy meal, or providing them with a coat when they are cold. Not everyone on the street is there because of substance abuse. Maybe someone needed the 20 I gave them so their child could eat that night.
Pat,
In the long run, we are all dead and nothing we do is going to change that. Does that mean that every act of kindness we do for each other is vain because it will never prevent death?
I could understand your point of view better if he gave the guy money. But giving the guy a pair of boots on a really cold night is as close to addressing the guy's real needs as he could get.
I get that the guy's life is not going to change and that he is still going to die living a messed up life. But in the end we all are all going to die and few of us have it all together. And at least one man went a cold night with boots on instead of bare feet.
Money has been wasted on much worse.
“Feel” seems to be the operative word in this thread.
To re-word a proverb: "Give a man a fish and you will feel good about yourself. Teach a man to fish and you will display wisdom for others to emulate."
Nicely done.
Does that mean that every act of kindness we do for each other is vain...?
I'm just pointing out that, regardless of the intent, actions have consequences.
Presumably, unless shoeless John Doe was Cody Lundin, he had shoes at some point. What happened to those?
Geez, except for MR2, I'm not "feeling" much love here. ;)
Pat
I'm just pointing out that, regardless of the intent, actions have consequences.
Presumably, unless shoeless John Doe was Cody Lundin, he had shoes at some point. What happened to those?
Geez, except for MR2, I'm not "feeling" much love here. ;)
Pat
I have a pretty good idea of how Mr. John Doe got in a situation without shoes. Knowing what I do, it would not surprise me if he had recently been kicked out of a mental institution to free up a bed. There has been a lot of that going on in the last year or so in New York. Seen a lot of them get kicked out firsthand myself.
Perhaps it is a matter of perspective. I grew up in a poor family that a lot of people could have constructed lots of arguments of why it was pointless to help. But I am still grateful for the people who did.
It is better in the long run to teach everyone to swim. But when someone is drowning (or freezing in the cold) sometimes all you can do is try to keep their head above water.
ZonieDiver
12-01-2012, 19:55
I'm just pointing out that, regardless of the intent, actions have consequences.
Presumably, unless shoeless John Doe was Cody Lundin, he had shoes at some point. What happened to those?
Geez, except for MR2, I'm not "feeling" much love here. ;)
Pat
You climbed out on that limb, buddy, not me! :D
That said... when this story first broke - perhaps due the quality of the picture, or the fact it was taken by the Director of Commnuications of the Pinal County (AZ) Sheriff's Office (see Paul Babeau), my 'Spidey Sense' tingled a bit. It still does.
And, disregarding that, there is merit to what PSM says. A $100 pair if thermal boots could attract predators where a cheap pair of 'running shoes' (I pay $25 for my Avias) might not.
It IS a jungle out there.
ZonieDiver
12-03-2012, 09:29
PSM
While I applaud Officer DePrimo's altruism, I wonder if those boots are still on the recipient's feet. I'd suspect that they were sold or stolen. In some areas, they may cost him his life. Just saying.
It looks as if PSM was correct in his assessment. “Those shoes are hidden. They are worth a lot of money,” Mr. Hillman said in an interview on Broadway in the 70s. “I could lose my life.”
Full story here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50052716/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times
It seems "Shoeless Jeffrey" wants more":
I was put on YouTube, I was put on everything without permission. What do I get?” he said. “This went around the world, and I want a piece of the pie.”
It looks as if PSM was correct in his assessment.
“Those shoes are hidden. They are worth a lot of money,” Mr. Hillman said in an interview on Broadway in the 70s. “I could lose my life.”
Looks like he was smart enough to realize it, too. ;)
Pat
Just heard on the radio (for what it's worth...) that the individual sold the boots for hootch. Sad story all around.
There is charity and then there is enabling.
One often occurs when feelings overrides wisdom.
DIYPatriot
12-03-2012, 10:38
Just heard on the radio (for what it's worth...) that the individual sold the boots for hootch. Sad story all around.
Agreed. The officer did what he felt was the right thing to do and I still admire him and others who try to make a difference. With respect to the homeless man, what a shame. This outcome won't prevent me from helping others that have an established need and are willing to help themselves. I suppose that's one take-away, here. Seems as if I've heard that in a movie at some point...."Help me help you" - Jerry Maguire
And I can already hear Pat saying, "That the homeless man is really thinking, 'Show me the money' " :D
Ya never know.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/18/man-with-golden-voice-ted-williams_n_1526818.html
And so it goes...
Richard :munchin
Ya never know.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/18/man-with-golden-voice-ted-williams_n_1526818.html
And so it goes...
Richard :munchin
Well, yes and no. Ted had a unique and marketable talent, but he had been clean and sober for roughly 3 years before he was "discovered". He went back to heavy drinking after being rescued from the street. Dr. Phil talked him into going into rehab but he only stuck with it a couple of weeks. Apparently he went back into rehab and, hopefully, has turned his life around. We will see. The thing is that it took a concentrated effort from lots of people to set him straight again, not just one act of kindness.
Pat
...it took a concentrated effort from lots of people to set him straight again, not just one act of kindness.
All it takes is one stone thrown into a river to alter its course.
- olde adage
Richard :munchin
Well, yes and no. Ted had a unique and marketable talent, but he had been clean and sober for roughly 3 years before he was "discovered". He went back to heavy drinking after being rescued from the street. Dr. Phil talked him into going into rehab but he only stuck with it a couple of weeks. Apparently he went back into rehab and, hopefully, has turned his life around. We will see. The thing is that it took a concentrated effort from lots of people to set him straight again, not just one act of kindness.
Pat
So what if all those folks who helped, individually, thought their single act of kindness wouldn't matter?
Ever hear the story of the boy and the starfish?
A little boy is walking down the beach with his grandfather, throwing the starfish that had wound up on the sand, back in to the ocean. There were thousands of them. The grandfather says to the little boy, you can't make a difference, there are too many of them, and you are too small. To which the little boy picks up another starfish, throws it into the ocean, and says to his grandfather, I made a difference to that one.
So what if all those folks who helped, individually, thought their single act of kindness wouldn't matter?
Ever hear the story of the boy and the starfish?
A little boy is walking down the beach with his grandfather, throwing the starfish that had wound up on the sand, back in to the ocean. There were thousands of them. The grandfather says to the little boy, you can't make a difference, there are too many of them, and you are too small. To which the little boy picks up another starfish, throws it into the ocean, and says to his grandfather, I made a difference to that one.
Or our gov't will come up with a starfish assistance program (SAP) that will cost millions but only help some (will require more funds and higher tax rates), while at the same time making talk of “starfish relocation” politically incorrect and putting down those organizations that directly help starfish through churches and religious organizations!
Barefoot homeless man immortalized in photo isn't actually homeless
For the past year, Jeffrey Hillman has had an apartment in the Bronx paid for through a combination of federal Section 8 rent vouchers and Social Security disability and veterans benefits, officials said Monday.
<snip>
“Outreach teams from the Department of Homeless Services continue to attempt to work with him, but he has a history of turning down services,” said Barbara Brancaccio, a spokeswoman for the city agency.
The revelation that Hillman has a warm home and a bed to sleep in further complicated what at first seemed like a perfect feel-good tale for the holidays.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/homeless-shoe-guy-history-rejecting-article-1.1212779#ixzz2E7I0Gpgu
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/homeless-shoe-guy-history-rejecting-article-1.1212779#ixzz2E7GnCTdP
My, my, my. Who would have guessed it?
Pat
My, my, my. Who would have guessed it?
Doesn't negate the altruistic random act of kindness of the police officer. Too bad the officer was "scammed" by a vet.
Richard :munchin
Well, I can't say too much for fear of my employer but....
1. There is a sure way of telling if someone is truly mentally ill or not and that is if they can effectively take advantage of all the "help" that is out there. Bottom line: The scamers get disgusting amounts of money and the ones who truly need help are left to fend for themselves. If it is true that there is all this help available to the man and he does not take advantage of it, he is truly mentally ill.
2. The mental health system as it is currently set up does a very poor job of taking care of those who are mentally ill because of politically correctness and at least in NY State the problem is getting worse not better. In fact, it has gotten dramatically worse over the last year. I would bet good money that the people saying how everything possible has been done to help that man are not telling you the full story.
4. With all that said, I have no doubt that the cop did little good for that man in the long term. But I have been "scammed" myself even though I knew what the full situation was. Sometimes you fell you have to try to do something to get them through the night even though you know that the end result is likely to be futile.
Doesn't negate the altruistic random act of kindness of the police officer. Too bad the officer was "scammed" by a vet.
Exactly. Plus, kharma can be a real bitch sometimes...hate to be wearing that scammer's "soiled" aura in the future.