Officer Michael Rivers, with the Goldsboro Police Department for nine years, encountered a homeless woman wearing a shirt that read, “Homeless. The fastest way of becoming a nobody.” Intrigued, he turned back to offer her lunch, and she revealed she hadn’t eaten that day. Rivers got pizzas and sat down with her, their conversation lasting 45 minutes. A passerby captured the heartwarming moment in a photo shared on Facebook, praising the police for their often unnoticed community service. Michelle, the homeless woman, shared her struggles, having a daughter battling liver disease in foster care and a homeless husband. Rivers noted societal biases against the homeless and police, emphasizing that homelessness can happen to anyone. He expressed his daily mission as a police officer to bring smiles and help, not to ruin lives. Police Chief Michael West commended Rivers for his compassionate act, highlighting the human side of policing.
