Young Man Gets Pulled Over By Cop, The Reason Will Leave You Without Words

He Got Pulled Over

William was only going for a drive around town when a police officer pulled him over. The young man was understandably confused as he wasn’t aware he had done something wrong.

Shaking In His Boots

He was a good driver. He didn’t have any history of accidents or tickets. He had no idea why he was getting stopped. What happened next was completely unexpected for William. The cop stepped out of his own vehicle.

Not Normal

After getting out of the patrol car, the cop approached William slowly, looked at the young man for a couple of seconds, and then glanced at the dashboard of William’s car. This was definitely not your regular interaction…

A Cop Car

William looked into his rearview mirror and there they were – red, white, and blue lights flashing. He knew what this meant. His suspicions got confirmed as soon as he heard the police siren begin to wail.

What’s To Come

With his heart racing, William had a million questions running through his mind. However, nothing made sense to the young man. He couldn’t figure out why he was getting pulled over. He was doing his best to calm himself down when the police officer walked up to his window.

Being Patient

William could not help feeling confused. After all, he was not speeding nor was he doing anything illegal. In spite of this, he could only listen to what this police officer had to say.

The Waiting Game

It did not make sense to him at all. William had never gotten pulled over in the past. Why was he getting pulled over now? The young man was frustrated by the situation since he considered himself a law-abiding citizen.

Getting Nervous

William was definitely following the cop’s orders. The young man pulled over to the side. He waited for what the cop would say to him. It felt a lifetime for the officer to finally walk up to him.

Asking The Question

The cop went up to him, so William opened his window and greeted the police officer. He asked why he was pulled over and wondered if he had actually been speeding but hadn’t noticed. “Good morning officer, was I speeding?” the young man said.

No Disrespect

William did his best not to disrespect the police offer, an authority figure. The young man didn’t want any trouble. However, he also couldn’t figure out the reasoning for getting pulled over. With a calm and polite tone, William continued with his question.

What’s The HoldUp

Once more, William felt as if an eternity had passed before the police officer answered the question. It seemed as though the cop was taking his time. He was in no rush to respond. So, what did the officer say?

Nothing Wrong

William was really surprised when the police officer told him that there was no ticket coming his way. “Good morning,” the cop told William. “No, not speeding.”

Uncomfortable

In fact, William heard the cop say that there was no particular reason for the young man getting pulled over. Understandably, this made William feel more lost. Then, there was awkward silence between the two men.

What Could It Be

If there was no specific reason for him being pulled over, then why was he pulled over? The young man was getting nervous and scared. Surely, the police officer had some kind of reason for stopping William in the middle of the morning.

An Unexpected Outing

Hesitantly, William waited for the cop to say something more. Aside from being confused, he was getting impatient but then the officer said something which took William completely by surprise. This was definitely not what he had expected!

Just Thanking Him

It turns out the cop pulled him over because there was something he wanted to tell William. “Just wanted to stop you and say thank you for your service,” the officer explained.

How Did He Know?

What kind of service did the officer mean? What’s more, how did he know that William had ever done that sort of service? William was becoming more and more confused.

Did They Know Each Other?

The young man was definitely shocked that a random police officer whom he had never met would know such a thing. Had they somehow met each other before?

His Bumper Sticker

William soon realized why this police officer knew about it. The young man momentarily forgot that the pickup truck he was driving had a bumper sticker. Anyone who saw the sticker would know William served in the army before.

A Symbol

It is common for army veterans to put bumper stickers on their cars. William has had other drivers before waving their hands at him or honking their horns to thank him for his service. However, never before had a policeman actually stopped him.

Not Over

When William realized this, he thanked the officer warmly. “Oooh the bumper sticker, nice. You’re welcome sir,” the young man said. “My pleasure.” However, this was not the end of their encounter, but quite the contrary. It was just the beginning.

Just The Beginning

William was ready for the conversation to end there but the police officer still did not allow him to go. The young man never saw this coming. What happened next was such a beautiful moment that happened between these two.

A Few Questions

William could not go just yet. The officer still had a few questions for this young veteran. For example, the cop wanted to find out where William was posted. The officer asked, “Where did you serve?”

Something Seems Fishy

In the beginning, William felt some skepticism about what was happening. He could tell it was not part of a police officer’s job to ask him questions about his time in the military, but did William answer?

About His Service

In the end, William answered the cop’s question. He told the police officer that he had served as an operator for heavy wheeled vehicles and that he had just come back from a Middle East country.

Wants To Move On

“I went to Iraq,” William said. “Did a 15 monther out of Fort Benning.” He just wanted to live his civilian life. He did not expect that he would be pulled over for his service in the military.

Not Making Sense

There was actually a reason behind the cop’s curiosity about William’s time in Iraq but the young veteran had no idea what it was. The cop was asking William so many questions about his service that it made him nervous.

His Own Motive

To William, the cop just seemed interested in his service. The young man didn’t really understand the reason the officer had to pull him over. However, this cop had his own completely different motives.

Like His Son

The police officer then told William he had a son that served there recently as well. The cop said, “Well alright. My son went to Iraq.” That was the reason he pulled over the young man.

Seeing Things Differently

The police officer just wished to learn more about a person who had gone through the same things his son had. He then told William more about the time that his son had spent in Iraq. This made the young man see things in a different light.

Change Of Heart

William didn’t feel confused or scared anymore. He finally understood the police officer, but it hadn’t been long since he had finished a PTSD program. Talking about the experiences that he had gone through in war was still new to William.

He Died There

Then, there was a shocking turn in their conversation. What the cop said next pretty much shocked William. He thought that he had everything figured it out. Then, he was given unexpected news. He surely did not expect this turn of events.

Speechless

The officer told William, “He didn’t make it home.” The cop’s son died while on duty. It was clear that the police officer struggled to say these things. It was really sad and it broke William’s heart. There was nothing else he could do but to listen.

My Condolences

William could not help feeling bad for the police officer. He was out here and enjoying his life after coming back but this cop lost his son in Iraq.

Noticed Something

The only thing the young veteran was to express his condolences for the grieving father. William told the older man, “Man, I’m so sorry to hear that.” After this, the police officer regained his composure. He nearly let William be but then he saw something that was on the young man’s dashboard.

His Folded Flag

The police officer almost let the young man go, but then he saw something curious that was on the William’s dashboard – a US flag which had been deliberately folded.

Significance

During a US Military funeral, an american flag is lowered. It is then folded 13 times to form a triangle. This represents the lost lives of soldiers while serving. Each fold of the flag signifies something different.

Caught His Eye

“I see you have a flag in the truck,” the cop said. The flag was folded in an army custom to honor fallen soldiers that fought for the country. Something about the caught the attention of the police officer flag. What was it?

Just Like That

The moment the police officer saw the folded-up flag, he thought about the folded flag he himself had at home. The army gave it to him in memory of his son.

He Has The Same One

The cop said, “The one we got for him! Well it’s at the house.” Then, he asked William to do him a favor. “Can I ask a question?” The young man obliged without any hesitation. The question, however, took him completely by surprise.

Out For A Spin

On that lovely spring morning, William got up early and decided to go for a ride on his pickup truck. Since it was his day off, he could do anything that he wanted that day.

Day Ruined

Going down a quiet New York street, without any traffic getting in his way, made William feel happy. That was before he glanced in his rear view mirror and discovered the cop car tailing him.

Asking For A Hug

As for the favor, the older man nervously asked William if he could step out of his pickup truck and embrace the cop! “Do you mind stepping out and receiving a hug?” the sad police officer asked.

Knew He Was Upset

Initially, William was surprised by the request. After all, how often are you pulled over by a cop who then asks you to give them a hug? William could tell this police officer was upset, though.

Couldn’t Say No

This was definitely not a regular situation. After the police officer asked that question, he burst into tears and said something to William which made an impact on the young veteran. William had no choice in the matter.

The Reason Why

As tears fell down the police officer’s face, he bared his soul to William. The cop explained to the young man that he was pulled over because William and his son shared similarities.

A Constant Reminder

“You remind me of my son. I pulled you over,” the police officer said. “Thought you were him. I still don’t believe it most days he’s gone.” There was only one thing William could do. He obliged the request and gave the poor man a hug.

A Warm Embrace

William could not stop his tears from falling either. He stepped out of the truck, opened his arms and then “hugged that man.” He recounted, “With tears in both our eyes I got out and hugged that man.”

A Stranger’s Love

After all the time he spent out on the field and the pain that he endured, William felt humbled to give a warm embrace to this stranger. This may have been the first time he met this police officer, but the hug meant so much to him.

Crying Together

Both men were hysterically crying as they hugged each other. The young war veteran and the older on-duty police officer talked heart to heart. They shared this emotional embrace for quite some time.

He Also Needed A Hug

“I’m talking about for a minute or two crying,” William said. “Down to our knees crying.” The cop was the one who asked for a hug, but the young man could not deny the fact that he also needed it just as much.

They Needed It

His conscience may have been totally unaware back then, but William admitted that he really did need a hug. Similar to most war veterans, he had recently finished a PTSD program.

Opening Up

It was a program which helped rehabilitate servicemen and get them ready to go back to civilian life after experiencing the cruel conditions in Iraq. “I just finished a PTSD program,” William told the officer.

They Needed This

The hug was the last thing William needed to finally be able to move on with his life. At the time, neither of them knew that they needed each other as much as the hug they both got.

Shell Shock Or PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder which came about when specialists noticed a pattern happening with war veterans. The experiences of the veterans were so traumatic that even after they leave the service, they still carry the experiences with them.

What Happens?

With this disorder, the veteran may think that his life or the lives of others are in danger. The veteran may also feel as if they have lost control of their situation. This disorder is really common among war veterans. William and his group have been dealing with it.

Time To Reflect

William spent some time thinking about what happened that morning. Every time he thought about the exchange, his heart became warm. Since he felt this story is too remarkable to just keep to himself, he decided to do something about it.

A Beautiful Message

A few weeks after the encounter, William took to Facebook and shared the story. He described what had happened on the road. When the strange and extraordinary meeting ended, William gained a brand new perspective.

Fresh Outlook

William learned many things after the police officer pulled him over. The young man wanted to share what he learned with others people. “To all the family and friends of soldiers, fighting or done fighting, God bless you…”

Unexpected

“…Your peace and your hearts,” William said in his post. “It’s so hard without them, I know. This road is a tremendous one. Love to all.” He had been completely unaware his life would change that day.

It Went Viral

Soon enough, the social media post, which was shared many times, reached people’s hearts from around the world. The post received over 48,000 reactions through “Love What Matters”!

Support

People who had experience losing someone on duty understood what the saddened police officer had been going through deep inside. “I lost my son in Iraq on May 3, 2004. He was only 26,” one netizen said.

Relatable

People related to William, who was overwhelmed with the responses he got. He was thanked for his service and there were some people who also shared their stories. Apparently, people had a lot to say and William inspired them.

Always Missed

“Not a day goes by I don’t miss and love him. I wonder what he would be like now, I miss him so much.” William had the chance to come back unlike a lot of men deployed abroad.

Now A Father

After the life-changing encounter, William’s life went in new directions. The biggest change is probably that he is now a father to a little girl whom he loves very much. The story of the police officer shook William to the core.

A Father Of His Own

It made William realize just how short life can be, so he began to value the time that he spent with those he loves. He can now say that he is a father of a girl he really loves.

An Amazing Person

We are quite sure he is doing great at childrearing! Judging by the warm heart that he showed a total stranger, we have no doubt that William only has love for his child!

Fate

Even though these two were strangers, they were meant to meet at that time. William was having a hard time himself. The police officer’s story made the young man truly grateful for the life he has. William was appreciative of cop stopping him that day.

The Ultimate Sacrifice

One of the hardest things that a parent can experience is losing a child. The brave men and women in the military serve our country, risking their lives while doing it. There are wives and husbands who become widows. However, we cannot begin to fathom the feeling of losing a child.

Saying Thanks

We would like to say thank you to everyone who risk their lives serving in the military, may it be past, present, or future. Thank you also to their families since they are the ones who deal with the sorrow of the possibility of their loved ones not making it home.

One Workday

William Jazwinski is not the only person who has been pulled over without any reason. The reality is that plenty of people have had a similar experience. As Officer Michael Patterson was going about his duties, he noticed a car with a tinted window and decided to pull it over. However, he had no idea that something so much more would come out of this.

Just Another Workday

The day started just like any other and Officer Patterson expected nothing else. One of his job responsibilities was keeping an eye on highways and roads. He felt strongly about this job and was determined to provide everyone a safe environment. He performed his duties strictly and stopped cars that broke the rules. Most people he pulled over weren’t really happy to see him, which makes sense because they were most probably getting a ticket.

Darker Than Allowed

It was a pleasant, average day in June. On this regular day, one car got his attention as he was watching the Kingwood Township Highway. It was a white BMW. While the driver was not actually speeding or driving dangerously, his car had dark windows, which were illegal.

Dark Windows

Tinted windows are common but there is a limit to how dark they can be. If the windows are too dark for people to see through, then that is illegal. Officer Patterson was concerned when he saw the too dark windows of the car and decided to pull it over.

An Unusual Ticket

He had pulled plenty of drivers over for tinted windows, so this wasn’t new. Little did he know, however, that this situation would be different from the rest. Officers don’t normally give tickets for tinted windows. This wasn’t your usual ticket, though.

Doing His Job

Officer Patterson initially stopped the driver in order to discuss the overly tinted windows. A young officer, he didn’t love being viewed as the bad guy. Nevertheless, he was a rule follower, which is why he turned on the patrol car lights and siren right away when he noticed the dark windows. The driver might have been confused about what he jad done wrong.

Just Talking

Officer Patterson was set on being a friendly cop, in spite of how severe the offense was. When he stopped that BMW, he had not expected that he would learn a lot about its driver and vice versa. What’s more, there wad a surprise waiting for the young officer.

Unexpected

When the BMW driver got pulled over, he was understandably annoyed and frustrated, just like anyone who would be in this situation. From what he knows, he had done nothing wrong and did not understand why he got pulled over. Well, he of all people should know the rules better. Why is that?

A Retired Cop

The driver was actually a former police officer! It is surely reasonable to expect retired cops to know the rules, perhaps more than a regular person. He only had love for his profession and he was really skilled at it. Getting pulled over by another officer must have been humiliating for him.

Dark Tint Windows

This retired cop had not intended to cause harm or trouble and simply enjoyed having darker windows. He did not plan to argue with the officer that stopped him. He knew that he could lighten his windows easily.

Talking Shop

When Officer Patterson found out the driver was a policeman before, he started to feel more comfortable. Meeting another person who is well-acquainted with the job was always nice. They talked about the job, developing a connection within just a few minutes. Still, they had no idea their lives would become better after forming this bond.

Bonding

The exchange between Officer Patterson and the driver of the BMW was captured by the body camera of the young cop, which would later help him. The former cop, Matthew Bailly, and Officer Patterson continued speaking for a while.

Oldie but Goodie

It has been a long time since Bailey retired but the two still had plenty to discuss. Officer Patterson is passionate about his career. He also loves talking to people that are knowledgeable about the field. Bailey explained that he used to work in a city roughly 40 miles away.

Longer Conversation

The two had an extensive conversation focused on life being a cop but led to a lot more. After this, everything started to come out. The young officer was confused about where exactly the older man came from. Officer Patterson wanted to know more.

A Big Coincidence

As the conversation went on, they found out more about each other, which they had not expected. Bailey explained that he worked a couple of cities away. Officer Patterson was surprised to hear this since the location was coincidentally his very own hometown!

Speculations

Bailey asked Officer Patterson his age but the younger cop felt uncomfortable returning the question as Bailey was older. The younger man was becoming more curious especially after learning that the former cop worked in his hometown. Officer Patterson knew some cops there and he was now becoming suspicious.

26 Years Ago

Well, something interesting occurred 26 years before that day. This was not the usual cop story you probably were expecting. Officer Patterson was born exactly 26 years before that day. His day was getting quite strange, but he had not discussed this with anyone.

His Hometown

When Bailey revealed where exactly he previously worked at, this took Officer Patterson’s focus since it was his hometown. It was exciting to meet a person who knew the town. Aside from that, the person was a fellow cop, making it more interesting. Their conversation was beginning to flow.

More Questions

On October 5th 1991, Michael Patterson was born in Piscataway. This grabbed Bailey’s attention as he was stationed there during that time. He might have even worked on a case involving Michael! The former cop realized this when Officer Patterson revealed his birth date.

All Coming Together

They had not talked about it yet, but Officer Patterson knew in his stomach his instinct was right. Even though he hesitated, he still brought up his suspicions. They continued discussing the night that happened 26 years before. Finally, they realized they had actually met.