'He didn't ask if the Mercedes was stolen': Grateful (black) mom's thank you to white state trooper

daily mail ^ | 5/20/2015 | ANNETA KONSTANTINIDES

[envisio]

A grateful Virginia mother has taken to Facebook to thank a white state trooper who helped her black son with a flat tire late at night - and her post has since been shared more than 20,000 times. Dr Nada Owusu wrote that her son Joseph, a Virginia Tech student, was on his way home from school last Thursday when his back tire blew out 'in the middle of nowhere'. She said her 20-year-old son was then approached by Virginia State Trooper Matt Okes, who she noted didn't ask Joseph if the Mercedes was stolen but instead 'got on his knees to replace his tire.' When he realized the tire was stuck, Okes stayed with Joseph for hours until both the student's parents and AAA arrived to help, Owusu wrote. And as they waited Okes made sure to shine the lights of his cruiser on Joseph's car to help warn oncoming trucks and other vehicles, according to WTVR. Owusu, a pediatrician who emigrated from Ghana and now works in Danville, Virginia, called Okes 'our hero.' She said the trooper even drove behind the family after they returned to the road. The post has since gone viral, even catching the attention of television host Montel Williams, who told Owusu he was grateful she had shared Okes act of heroic kindness with the world. 'Too often we look at very specific instances where police miss the mark,' he wrote.

[bolobaby]

Maybe because it has nothing to do with skin color, but the way you present yourself? If you dress and act like a thug, is it unreasonable to wonder if an expensive car is really yours?

This young man looks, you know, normal.

[Conscience of a Conservative]

This wasn’t a traffic stop, though. Not sure whether the officer would call in the tags before rendering assistance to a stranded driver, or would check the driver’s ID. The one time an officer assisted me on the side of a highway, he did not check my ID; I obviously have no idea whether he ran my plates, though I suspect he did not, given that he pulled over and got out of his vehicle as soon as I flagged him down.

[CatherineofAragon]

"Simply amazing. This family is actually African, and their kids names are Andrew, Joseph and Krystle."

You noticed that, too, huh? :)

This story made my local news last night, but I imagine that was because Danville is about 80 miles south of here. The mother was very well-spoken, with a slight accent...not a trace of Ebonics to be heard.

[CatherineofAragon]

Thank God your daughter got away unscathed. That was guts and quick thinking on her part.

When I was in my twenties, I was out for a long walk one evening, and a truck screeched up to me, stopped, and a crazy-looking guy yelled, “GET IN.” I froze, but then a car came along, and he took off. I’ll never forget that.

Nowadays, when I’m heading across a parking lot toward my car, I try to look like a complete in-control b*tch, and I stay aware of footsteps behind me, and the cars parked next to me.

[Nifster]

“This type thing happens everyday in all walks of life on both ends of race.”

Thanks for a post that has some good news. Folks are all to quick to post the bad news (claiming that it is the only news and that all people are like the posted story).

[SaraJohnson]

When I was young, broke and stupid, I had cops helping me out of car messes all the time. The vast majority of officers were protective, kind and compassionate to me back then.

It’s about half and half now. But I never forget the good half even while I regret the interactions our family, especially my sons, has had with the mean and unjust half!

I have been wondering lately if some of the cops who are mean today are suffering from Post Traumatic Syndrome. I wonder if they are counseled when needed or if they have to just stuff their anxiety and pretend everything is fine and dandy to keep their reputation and jobs.

We live in a foreign, amoral, evil, nasty society these days - not like when I was young. I have the money to move away from the nasties and I have God to protect me so I am not scared. But officers have to deal with the aggressive amorals day in and day out. Maybe a lot of the meanies are just plain scared of people.

It would not be a stretch for them to feel that all people are bad because so many they meet are bad. Ofcourse, their interactions get worse as a result of the ones who abuse the public. I don’t know how this cycle is broken except through Christ’s love, protection and healing. I would bet money this officer Matt is a Christian. He was not scared and he showed great compassion to a young person.

[Cronos]

It seems that he was well-dressed and I'm going to assume polite and well-mannered

What a good looking family -- upwardly mobile. We should not "club" them in any way with anyone else irrespective of skin color

[Cronos]

Because they are hardworking, smart people first and whatever color second.

[Political Junkie Too]

Owusu, a pediatrician who emigrated from Ghana...

Which means that her children weren't raised with a chip on their shoulder, looking for conflict everywhere they turn.

-PJ

[LonePalm]

Some time in February in the late 90s we were headed north on I-95 between Orlando and Daytona when the left rear tire of our conversion van blew. It sounded like a helicopter was trying to land on us. I managed to get into the left median up against the barrier. The tire sidewall had failed completely and turned into a doughnut.

A little more explanation here. It was about 7:30 on a Sunday morning. We had just finished a week at the Mouse with 3 small children and the van was jammed. I had to unload much of it to get to the spare and jack.

I managed to get the van jacked up and had just gotten the wheel lugs off when a Florida state trooper car pulled up behind us. The a rather petite female trooper walks up and asks, "Have a flat?" Without looking up, I replied, "No thank you. I already have one." She laughed so hard I thought she was going to pee herself. She helped me finish the change and told me that there was no place in area open on Sunday that could replace the tire. She sent me into Daytona.

We found a Firestone open opposite the Speedway that was open during the Daytona 500. You know a flat was bad when they call all the staff over to look at a tire. Fortunately the tire was under warranty and they replaced it for a minimal charge.

"Ceterum censeo 0bama esse delendam."

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[Toespi]

Boy, you just never get over that kind of thing. I am already a b$&)( so I don’t have to act. ROFL. Here is the amazing thing about my DILS kidnapping. Just a week prior, I had read the book MINDHUNTER, by the FBI profiler, John Douglas. It had all kinds of true events, stories and tips. We were out to dinner and I was talking about the book. One of the tips was if someone would get in your car, be prepared to die right out in public. Never, never go willingly, scream, wreck, do whatever it takes.

After she raced the car to the front of the store and started screaming for help, a cart boy ran to her car and pulled her out. The thug then pulled a gun on the boy and took off in the car. Helicopters, police were chasing him on the freeway when he wrecked her car. He jumped out and hid. The police were out of their cars and he sneaked into a patrol car and took off. He eventually wrecked it also and was injured enough that he was immobile and arrested. Get this......for carjacking.