Amazing twist after mum donates scratchie win to wounded cop
A mother who was down to her last US$7 (about AU$9.90) donated her lottery winnings to a wounded police officer – and now his fellow officers are paying it forward.
Single mother Shetara Sims, from Kansas City in the US state of Missouri, was down to her last few dollars.
She had just lost her job due to the coronavirus pandemic and was struggling to make ends meet when she found a US$1 (AU$1.41) bill in the car park of a grocery store.
Feeling lucky, she used the money to buy a scratchie and won US$100 (AU$143).
Ms Sims’ 12-year-old daughter, Rakiya Edmonson, suggested they pay forward their good luck and donated the money to a critically-wounded Kansas City policeman who was shot on July 2, and was still recovering in the intensive care unit.
The officer’s story had reminded the family of their own person pain, Rakiya’s sister and Ms Sims’ eldest daughter, Karyia, was murdered in 2012, according to Fox 23 News.
During the investigation, Ms Sims told US news outlet KMBC detectives had given her and her family support during the traumatic event, going above and beyond to help the grieving family.
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"The detectives were really there for us. They were there for us more than anyone I can imagine. They did things they didn't have to do," Ms Sims said.
"They came to see my kids. They did a lot. They were fathers, therapists. They were everything."
On July 10, Ms Sims called her local police department to donate her lottery win, hoping to pay back the kindness police had showed in her 2012.
The mother explained her own financial woes but insisted on giving the donation, explaining she wanted police to know how much they were supported and news quickly spread about her donation.
The Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) said it took a while to track down Ms Sims as she had called from a private number, but they kept trying and were eventually able to identify her and thank her.
"To hear her call and just express thanks for no reason other than she's thankful, it's really impactful to us, and it's really touching to us," Kansas City Police Department’s Sergeant Jake Becchina said.
The officers shared the story on their Facebook page and were inundated with offers to help Ms Sim so they organised a GoFundMe page for her.
The fundraiser launched just a week ago and has already raised more than $112,000.
When Ms Sims found out about the overwhelming donations, the struggling single mother asked if the wounded police officer needed it more.
The KCPD assured Ms Sims the officer was well taken care of, and invited her and her daughter to meet the officer they had so generously donated money to.
On Wednesday (local time), the KCPD updated their followers with the news Ms Sims and her daughter had the opportunity to meet the critically-wounded officer and his colleagues.
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