"Afraid His Shoes Would Get Wet" Elementary Student Stops Before Icy Road... The Safety Officer's Choice

Carried Student Across Frozen Road After Water Pipe Burst
"Just a Neighbor"... Praise and a Wave of Donations Follow

A scene of a safety officer helping a student in distress at a crosswalk in front of a public school in Chicago, United States, has quietly touched many after spreading through social media.

On January 30 (local time), Yonhap News reported, citing the Washington Post (WP), the story of Joe Sass (44), a crosswalk safety officer at a Chicago public school, and Hosenik Rodriguez (13), a seventh-grade elementary school student.

On January 22, Sass carried Rodriguez on his shoulder near Jamieson Elementary School, safely escorting him across two crosswalks to the front of the school.

Safety Officer Assists Student on a Road Tangled with Water and Ice

An image of a crosswalk safety officer helping an elementary school student on a road messed up with water and ice has become a hot topic. Online community capture

At the time, the roads around the school were covered with a mix of water, ice, and snow due to a nearby water pipe burst. The road became muddy and difficult to walk on, causing Rodriguez, who was on his way to school in new sneakers, to stop at the edge of the road.

Seeing this, Sass, wearing boots, approached and asked, "Is it okay if I carry you on my shoulder?" When the student agreed, Sass held a 'STOP' sign in his left hand and carried Rodriguez on his right shoulder across the crosswalk. After walking several dozen meters, he set the student down safely on the sidewalk.

Sass lightly patted the student's back in farewell and immediately continued his work assisting other students on their way to school.

A Good Deed Shared Through a 90-Second Video... Donations and More Acts of Kindness

An image of a crosswalk safety officer helping an elementary school student on a road made messy with water and ice has become a hot topic. Online community capture

This moment was captured by a local news station's camera, which was filming the water pipe burst from a helicopter, unbeknownst to both individuals. When the roughly 90-second video was released on social media, it garnered over 800,000 views.

Online, comments such as "A true hero in everyday life," "A small act of kindness changed a tough day," and "Truly heartwarming and touching" poured in. Having worked as a school safety officer for over four years, Sass said in an interview with WP, "If people see it that way, I am grateful for that alone," adding, "I'm just a friend helping my neighbors."

Following this event, a fundraising account set up by Sass's friend collected more than $8,000. Sass reportedly plans to donate half of the funds to a local youth mentoring organization and the other half to local shops struggling due to federal immigration enforcement.