Many people were moved by the story of a North Carolina trooper who stopped a driver for speeding but instead of issuing a penalty, he compassionately prayed with the car's passenger who's also a cancer patient.
After Anthony "Tony" Geddis died on May 22, the photo of their encounter with North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper Jaret Doty went viral on social media when his daughter Ashlye V. Wilkerson uploaded the photo along with a tribute to her father.
In her post, Wilkerson narrated that she was bringing her father home to South Carolina after he got chemotherapy treatments at Duke University on March 28. When she spotted the officer's lights approaching, she knew she was speeding and pulled over to wait.
When the officer questioned her, she apologized and stated that she hadn't seen the change in the speed limit. Upon asking, she promptly obliged and gave her license and registration. Geddis came to his daughter's defense in his low and weak voice, telling the cop she was taking him home from chemo.
Doty nodded and returned to his car with Wilkerson's license and registration. He told WSOC-TV that he knew that he wasn't going to give her the ticket. He waited in his car for a while, gathering his thoughts and deciding what to say when he returned. Doty took a deep breath after confirming Geddis's cancer.
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Geddis's Faith And Doty's Compassion
The trooper empathized with him saying that he had loved ones battling cancer too. He told CNN News that he asked him "Can I pray for you?" to which Geddis answered him back "I absolutely believe in prayer."
Wilkerson noted in her post that her dad openly declared his love for Christ and his faith in God's will be carried out. When they finished praying, Doty handed him a small silver cross in his hand for him to keep as a symbol of his faith.
She asked her dad why he revealed his illness, Geddis said that he didn't want her to be penalized for taking care of him. Even though she said she was fine with the consequences, the trooper just gave her a warning ticket and said, he'll continue to pray for them in their journey.
She remembered her dad's kindness, wisdom, and example and thanked the officer who prayed for him on that day.
After Wilkerson's post went viral, Doty had learned about the image and Geddi's death. He told CNN News that he was not after fame or praise for his thoughtful prayer. It was a common thing for him to pray for people he encountered in his work. However, he shared that his interaction with Geddis was unlike any other prayer he'd said before. It was the first and only time he had ever verbally requested and prayed for someone.
Wilkerson also told WSOC-TV that Doty could opt for giving her the ticket, yet he asked questions and chose compassion and faith after pulling her over.
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