When a massive winter storm hit Albany, New York this past weekend, residents found themselves buried in more than a foot of snow with no choice but to break out the shovels and get to digging.
However, not all homeowners have the ability to clear their driveways themselves, and when one elderly woman saw the snow being dumped around her home, she became fearful of becoming trapped inside.
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Thankfully, three incredible police officers who were more than happy to assist showed up to her home with shovels and worked together to clear her driveway of the heavy snow drifts.
The 99-year-old unnamed woman who lives alone had called the Albany Police Department’s non-emergency line to ask for help.
According to People , Officers William Pierce, Christopher Stiles, and John Schueler all drove to the woman’s home armed with gloves and shovels and got to work clearing her driveway of more than a foot of snow.
Sgt. Norah Harrington captured photos of the three men in action and shared the snaps on the department’s Facebook page.
“When Duty Calls,” the post reads.
It didn’t take long before the photos of the shovel-wielding officers went viral, racking up more than 15,000 reactions and nearly 6,000 shares since they were first posted on December 2.
In the comments, users have applauded the officers for going above the call of duty and lending a helping hand to an elderly woman in need.
“Such a beautiful example of a caring community,” one user wrote, while another added, “Another reason to love our law enforcement!”
“This is so awesome,” someone commented. “Clearing snow is not in [their job description. Thank you officers for once again going above and beyond your duties.”
