MacKenzie Elmer

melmer@dmreg.com

Register Metro Voice columnist Daniel Finney delivered 20 good news stories to soothe your soul today. Here's the full story on No. 13, when a Des Moines officer gave a woman a ride to work after her car broke down.

Officer Ned Chiodo is a school resource officer at Hoover High School by day. But during a busy Friday morning commute on July 22, he spotted a stopped car in the merging lane of traffic on 2nd Avenue.

“I thought man, she’s gonna get hit,” Chiodo said.

He pulled over and discovered the woman had a flat tire, and couldn’t find anybody to come pick her up. Chiodo thought about changing the tire for her, but decided the intersection was too dangerous to try — the woman didn't have a spare anyway.

So, he offered her a ride to her job at a factory on the west side of town.

“We had a nice conversation. Her daughter just graduated Iowa State (University) and wants to get on the police department or fire department,” Chiodo said. “She shook my hand and said, 'God bless you. Thanks so much for helping me.'”

Chiodo said he didn’t think much about the gesture, and his years on the force haven’t jaded him.

“If my mom’s car broke down, I would want someone to help her,” Chiodo said.