Painting captures an officer's compassion

SMYRNA, Ga - It's a picture that captured an officer's compassion. A photo posted by Smyrna police showed an officer praying with a woman in front of a fire. The woman's son used that picture to create a painting for the department.

Shirley Meyers was the only one home when her house caught fire this past September. She was extremely upset, but she says Smyrna Police Officer Tim Melvin did something that made a world of difference.

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"I told Officer Melvin, I said we need to pray, I need to pray, and he said I'll pray with you. I said take my hand and he held my hand and we just prayed," said Meyers.

It was a kind heart and prayer. Shirley Meyers said it's exactly what she needed as she watched her Smyrna home go up in flames.

"I felt peace even though I'm watching my house as the fire was going all over the place, I still felt peace," said Meyers.

The Smyrna Police Department's social media post of Officer Melvin and Mrs. Meyers hand in hand was shared across the country.

Mrs. Meyers' son, Dale Cullen, who lives in Ohio, found it so heartwarming he made it into a painting.

"It was such a touching photo, to see the care that Officer Melvin had," said Cullen.

Cullen sent the painting to the police department and he painted another one for the Cobb County Fire Department. It was a thank you for all they did for his mom.

"I really do appreciate them not only rendering aid but also the compassion they had," said Cullen.

When Mrs. Meyers delivered the painting to the police station recently she had the chance to see Officer Melvin for the first time since the fire.

"I wanted to really hug him like a momma would! He was so calm and he was so willing to pray with me and that really means something," said Meyers.

Mrs. Meyers said when Officer Melvin took the time to pray with her, it made her feel so much better. She said from now on whenever she sees someone going through a fire or any other tragedy she's just going to stop and pray with them because she knows how it feels.

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