Heartwarming: NYPD Officer Buys Homeless Man Shoes

NYPD officer Larry DePrimo went above and beyond the call of duty to help out a homeless man and now a photo of their interaction has gone viral on the NYPD’s Facebook page.

A tourist from Arizona snapped the photo, which shows DePrimo knelt down after handing the barefoot man socks and boots.

So far, the photo has received more than 356,000 likes and in excess of 100,000 shares on Facebook.

DePrimo says he was cold himself that night, even with wool winter socks and combat boots on. When he saw the barefoot man, he offered to buy him socks and shoes, and the man replied, “I never had a pair of shoes.”

The officer walked to a Sketchers store and spent $75 on insulated winter boots and thermal socks, then returned and gave them to the man.

“He smiled from ear to ear,” DePrimo says. “It was like you gave him a million dollars.”

Later that night, DePrimo received a text message from a friend. He was shocked to hear that his good deed had gone viral.