WATCH: Cocoa Police Officers Push Stranded Car to Safety, Help Mother and Children After Running Out of Gas

PUBLIS SERVICE: CPD On Patrol Highlights Officers’ Compassion in Community Assist

WATCH: In this episode of CPD on Patrol, we take you along with officers as they help a woman in distress. After darting out the door to pick up her children from a relative’s home, she forgot her wallet and credit card. Things only got worse when she ran out of gas and became stranded in a turn lane on SR-524 with her two children. Fortunately for her, two Cocoa police officers came to the rescue in a way she will never forget. (CPD video)

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA — A routine patrol turned into an act of compassion recently when Cocoa Police officers went above and beyond to help a stranded mother and her two young children after her car ran out of gas.

The encounter, featured in a recent episode of CPD On Patrol, unfolded around 5 a.m. on State Road 524 near Surriss Drive.

Officers were dispatched after a woman texted 911, explaining she had forgotten her credit card at home and had become stranded while trying to pick up her children.

CPD Officer Wedlow was the first to arrive and found the woman stopped along the roadway with her children still inside the vehicle.

She told officers she had rushed out the door after oversleeping and didn’t realize she had left her card behind. With family members unavailable to help at that hour, she said calling for assistance felt like her only option.

Officers quickly determined the nearest gas station was less than a third of a mile away. Because police vehicles are not permitted to transport gasoline, the officers devised another solution.

Officer Elliott arrived to assist, blocking traffic to keep the area safe while Officer Wedlow began pushing the vehicle toward the station.

What initially seemed like a short distance proved challenging, and the officers took turns pushing the car along the roadway.

A passing citizen noticed the situation and stopped to lend a hand, helping the group move the vehicle the final stretch to the gas station.

Once safely there, Officer Wedlow used his own money to put $15 worth of gas into the woman’s car, ensuring she could get her children home.

The grateful mother repeatedly thanked the officers, telling them their help meant everything during a stressful moment.

Before leaving, the officers encouraged her to “pay it forward” when she had the chance — a sentiment she embraced, sharing that she often tries to help others in need whenever she can.

The episode highlights the Cocoa Police Department’s commitment to community policing and compassion, demonstrating how small acts of kindness can make a lasting impact.

Officials praised the officers’ professionalism and teamwork, noting the incident as an example of how law enforcement and the community can come together to support one another.

As the episode concluded, the message was clear: sometimes the most meaningful police work happens not during arrests, but in moments of simple human help when it’s needed most.

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