After a poor single mom gave her $100 lottery winnings to an officer shot while on the job, Kansas City police are raising money to pay back for her kind gesture.
Left with only $7 and overdue bills to pay, single mom Shetara Sims, who lost her job a month ago as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, found $1 in a grocery store parking lot and spent it on a scratch-off ticket, which won her $100.
Even though she was struggling financially, Shetara immediately said yes when her daughter, Rakiya Edmonson, 12, suggested they donate the cash to a Kansas City policeman who is still fighting for his life in ICU after he was shot in the line of duty 3 weeks ago.
“She won $100, and I said we should donate it to the police officer that got shot for his family to go eat and see him,” Rakiya said.
#TheMorningGrindWIthShayAndShyne talking to Shetara Sims about what caused her to give her last money to an injured KCPD officer. Listen to her story at 8:08a on @Hot103Jamz #LiveLocalLit https://t.co/BjFtYolGP0
— KPRS – Hot 103 Jamz (@Hot103Jamz) July 22, 2020
Shetara and her daughter know what it’s like to suffer the loss of a loved one.
Rakiya’s older sister was killed in Kansas City back in 2012. The grieving mother says the detectives who worked on her daughter’s case gave their unconditional support to the family by visiting them, sending them messages every day, and more.
“The detectives were really there for us. They were there for us more than anyone I can imagine. They did things they didn’t have to do,” she said. “They came to see my kids. They did a lot. They were fathers, therapists. They were everything.”
God bless Shetara Sims. Yes it's the best story of 2020. https://t.co/sn2C4UxyyJ
— Solomon Yue (@SolomonYue) July 22, 2020
Shetara believes a lot of people don’t understand how amazing officers actually are until you are the one who is calling for help.
“I never seen the empathy that they had from strangers. They just gave us hope. They were good for us,” she said.
In order to show her support for good officers, Shetara called in to make her $100 donations. However, she did not leave her personal details.
Police who were deeply touched by her kindness spent days searching for her.
“To hear her call and just express thanks for no reason other than she’s thankful, it’s really impactful to us, and it’s really touching to us,” police Sgt. Jake Becchina said.
Hundreds of people who got wind of the story have been reaching out in order to offer their help.
And once they found out that officers started a GoFundMe for Shetara, it raised over $45,000.
The sergeant says it is kindness from people like Shetara that motivates officers to keep protecting their communities.
For KMBC’s report on the story please see the video below.
