A Minnesota state trooper brought a doctor to tears when he turned what would have been a speeding ticket into an act of generosity.
Trooper Brian Schwartz pulled over Dr. Sarosh Ashraf Janjua, a cardiologist at a coronavirus quarantine unit in Duluth, for speeding on March 21, CNN reported.
But instead of handing out a ticket or a citation, Schwartz came back with his supply of N95 masks he was supposed to use for his own protection — along with a firm warning for speeding.
“I burst into tears. And though it may just have been the cold wind, I think he teared up a little as well, before wishing me well and walking away,” Janjua said.
“This complete stranger, who owed me nothing and is more on the front lines than I am, shared his precious masks with me, without my even asking.”
Schwartz felt he should offer Janjua his N95 masks after he noticed “what appeared to be two used N95 masks in Ashraf’s purse that he assumed she was reusing,” the Minnesota State Patrol said in a statement to CNN.
“Thank you to Sarosh for her hard work and dedication,” the Minnesota State Patrol said on Facebook. “Troopers are working hard during the pandemic and are thinking about all the first responders who are caring for Minnesotans during this critical time.”
The N95 respirator masks that healthcare workers need to protect themselves are in short supply, forcing physicians and other healthcare workers to reuse masks or use makeshift masks when they care for patients, putting themselves at risk for infection.
But companies like MyPillow and 3M are answering the call to make more masks.