Published: June 17, 2009 11:14 am      

He could have left, but he stayed and did the right thing

On May 29, my car was hit in the parking lot of Memorial Hospital, and it made me smile.

It was a long and tedious day. My 12-month-old was in the hospital for the 11th time in his little life and we were feeling frustrated.

When a city police officer entered our hospital room, my heart simply stopped and when he asked me to verify my name I could hardly breathe. I automatically thought the worst, but when he informed me that my car had been bumped. I managed to breathe again.

Then, when he proceeded to tell me that the driver not only called the police to report the accident but then waited beside my car for nearly 45 minutes until an officer could be dispatched, I smiled.

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of good news in the world lately. Actually, in my own life, it sometimes feels like there is not a lot of good news, but acts of kindness and actions of upstanding character still touch me deeply.

The driver who tapped my bumper could have easily driven away. I am sure that none would have been the wiser, but his honesty and character compelled him to do the right thing, and I want him to know that I am so thankful that examples like his exist when the news seems to indicate that those actions have long disappeared.

Thank you, sir, for doing the right thing and reminding us all that honesty is not a lost trait. Thank you for making me smile.

Mindy Mooney

Cumberland