In the wake of social unrest and protests around police violence, an actual run-in with a white Garland police officer left Kambia Hart, who is Black, with a heartwarming story about the kindness of strangers in her family's time of need.
Hart was going to pick up her son on Tuesday and planned to get a title loan when she crashed her car into officer James Brezik's squad car.
"She told me she was having a bad day, and just wasn't paying attention and didn't see me," Brezik said in a Garland Police Department video. "And then her husband showed up and basically he said the same thing 'we're having a bad day, lost our jobs, haven't paid rent, we've got a lot on our mind.'"
Unfortunately, the accident a few days ago at the corner of Roan Road and Bobtown Road totaled Hart's car as well as the squad car.
"I started panicking because I didn't know what was going to happen," said Hart. "I thought I was going to jail."
Brezik told her "accidents happen" and didn't even write her a ticket. Instead, Brezik, along with other Garland police officers, decided to help Hart.
On Thursday, Brezik and Garland police pooled together money to present Hart with a check to cover her July rent, a $450 gift card to Walmart to buy groceries as well as a couple of toys for her two baby children.
"I work with an amazing group of people here at the police department, you know, they really stepped up, it was a team effort," Brezik said. "I think it was the babies, just seeing them, you know I've got three kids of my own. And times like this where people are getting laid off, and you know money's tight, fortunately, we had enough to give back to the people of Garland."
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Brezik said he believes a higher power intervened that day. Hart is thankful for the generosity of strangers.
