A school resource officer was recently spotted taking time out of his morning to pray in front of a flagpole, a gesture which he personally makes on behalf of his students every single day.
As Good Morning America reported, 40-year-old DeAndra Warren has been making the effort to say a prayer for the school children of Wynne, Arkansas, every day since 2015.
Warren, who is a seven-year member of the Wynne Police Department, first began praying while he patrolled the halls of Wynne Public School.
“I’d be on my patrol and just pray as I walk up and down the halls,” he told GMA.
But soon he found one spot where he could actually stop and pray properly.
“One moment I just felt the urge to stop at the [flagpole] and start praying at the pole because of what it represents and with so many things that are going on in our nation.”
Since then, Warren has made sure to start every morning by saying his prayers at the school’s flagpole.
On February 29, he was photographed standing at this very spot with his head bowed and eyes closed in silent prayer, and the picture was later posted online. The photographer? His own daughter, 21-year-old De’Andria Warren.
As she wrote on Facebook :
“Often you don’t see an officer on school grounds at the flag pole praying for our children! I know this amazing Man of God who prays for our school systems, your children, and our community every day faithfully! This outstanding man is my dad and I’m so proud to be his daughter!”
That photograph has since gone viral, racking up thousands of reactions on Facebook from users who were touched by Warren’s kind heart.
“That’s awesome,” one user commented. “You and your Dad are inspiration to so many. Stay safe, God bless and thank you for your service and for all you do!”
Another chimed in, “Thank you for praying for AND protecting those sweet kids. God has you exactly where he needs you!”
De’Andria, who is the eldest of Warren’s three daughters, said she felt compelled to share the picture because of how much her father cares for his students.
“I felt like I just had to make a post [of Warren], considering the impact that my dad has on all the kids, including the teenagers,” she explained to GMA . “Kids come up to me and say, ‘Oh, you’re Officer Warren’s daughter? We love him!’ and it brings me so much joy,”
She added, “It’s like ‘Wow, my dad is doing something to make an impact on all these people.’”
Warren, who is in charge of two school campuses, is a friendly face to students who he regularly interacts with.
“To see kid’s faces light up when I give them a high five and I’m just trying to show them a positive light,” he explained.
“His character is always upbeat. Always pleasant,” school Superintendent Carl Easley added. “In the last couple of weeks he has always shared some type of uplifting words with me. It’s just part of his personality.”
