A brief encounter between a police officer and a grieving widow led to a meaningful change in both of their lives and an unexpected friendship
NEED TO KNOW
- In December 2025, a Syracuse police officer offered a ride to a woman struggling with her groceries
- After a photo of the encounter spread online, the officer learned the woman had been sleeping on her husband’s grave for months
- Determined to help, the officer managed to raise funds for the widow and even found her a safe, warm home as winter temperatures fell
A chance encounter between an officer with the Syracuse Police Department and a woman carrying groceries became a lifeline for her after months of homelessness.
On Dec. 13, 2025, while parked in his patrol car, Officer Jamie Pastorello, 33, noticed Rhea Holmes struggling up a hill with a box of groceries and offered her a ride. “I thought, ‘I’ve got to go give this lady a ride,’” Pastorello told TODAY.com.
Holmes, 55, revealed she was headed to a cemetery in Syracuse, N.Y., where her husband was buried. During the short drive, she spoke about her 26-year marriage and her faith, thanking him repeatedly for stopping to help…