EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A simple act of kindness outside a Walmart is gaining attention online after an off-duty El Paso County Sheriff’s Office deputy was recorded helping a woman who said she didn’t have proper shoes.
Deputy Hugo Delgadillo was working an off-duty security job early Saturday morning when he says a woman approached him and told him, in Spanish, that she was experiencing homelessness and didn’t have money for a pair of shoes. Delgadillo says she was wearing thin socks and worn-out sandals on a cold morning.
He told her to give him an hour, and when he returned, he brought her new socks and a pair of shoes. Video of the encounter was eventually posted by FitFam on social media.
Delgadillo says the moment reminded him of a childhood experience, when a police officer once took him shopping through the “Shop with a Cop” program.
“I thought it was because I was well-behaved, and I had good grades. Later on, I came to find out that it was because I actually was from a low-income family,” he said.
He says that the encounter is one of the reasons he went into law enforcement.
“Growing up, I always knew that, since I had a little bit, I wanted to give more,” he said.
The video has drawn praise from many social media users who thanked the deputy for the gesture. Delgadillo says he doesn’t see it as anything extraordinary; he simply wanted the woman to feel human and cared for.
“I wanted her to know that she’s not any different than I am,” he added.
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