A homeless man snagged a job at McDonald’s after a Tallahassee, Florida, police officer assisted him in shaving his beard before his interview.
The Tallahassee Police Department tweeted Friday that a man only identified as Phil began his first day on the job last week.
“We couldn’t be more proud! The way Tallahassee has come together to help has been amazing, to say the least. We were all reminded this week how a little kindness can go a long way,” the department tweeted.
The police department announced the news after a video of Tallahassee Police Officer Tony Carlson shaving the man’s beard went viral on social media last week.
Officer Carlson said he noticed Phil struggling with his razor outside a gas station. Phil responded that he needed to shave his beard to be considered for a job at McDonald’s.
“He asked me if I knew anything about fixing a razor cause it was broken,” Officer Carlson told CNN. “I looked at it and it was missing a screw. Obviously, I didn’t have another screw so I just tightened up the other one to the point it would work.”
Greg Wallenfelsz, who witnessed the exchange, said he captured the officer’s “act of kindness” and decided to share it with others on social media. As of Wednesday afternoon, the video amassed more than 4.5 million views.
Phil, meanwhile, says he is grateful for the opportunity to work and better his life.
“That means everything. That’s going to help me get off the streets,” Phil told WSVN.