Coral Springs Police officer steps up to help homeless driver by paying for gas out of his own pocket
Coral Springs, Florida – In a quiet act of kindness that touched hearts across Coral Springs and beyond, a local police officer went above and beyond the call of duty to help a motorist in need. Officer Dominick Salvemini of the Coral Springs Police Department responded to a routine call about a stranded vehicle earlier this week—but what he encountered turned into something far more meaningful.
The call had come in about a disabled car on the side of the road. When Salvemini arrived, he found a man whose SUV had run out of gas. But the situation was deeper than just an empty fuel tank. The driver, as Salvemini soon learned, had been living out of the vehicle for the past year and had no money to pay for gas.
Instead of simply reporting the situation or calling for a tow, Salvemini chose a different path. “Everyone needs help every now and then, right?” he told the man in a quiet moment caught on camera. Without hesitation, Salvemini drove to a nearby gas station, used his own money to buy a canister of gasoline, and returned to help the man get back on the road.
“I hope this is enough,” he said gently as he poured the gas into the SUV’s tank. Another officer who was present offered a few words of hope: “From here, things can only improve.”
Once the tank had enough fuel, Salvemini made sure the engine started and confirmed the man was okay before leaving. There was no fuss, no grand gesture—just genuine human compassion shared in a difficult moment.
The Coral Springs Police Department later posted video of the encounter to its Facebook page, describing the moment as “just another example of compassion behind the badge.” The post drew dozens of comments and shares, with residents praising Salvemini for his quiet generosity and for representing the department with dignity and care.
While the gesture was small in cost, it meant a great deal to the man involved—and perhaps even more to those who watched the video and were reminded of the humanity still present in everyday life.
Stories like this often go unnoticed in the rush of daily headlines. But for one man struggling to stay afloat, Officer Salvemini’s actions made a lasting difference. And for the Coral Springs community, it served as a much-needed reminder of the power of empathy and the quiet strength of those who wear the badge.
As one commenter put it on the department’s Facebook page, “This is what being a public servant really looks like.”
