Deputy helps girl build snowman while mom with cancer recuperates
"She was very excited," mom DaVida Washington told ABC News.
— -- A South Carolina deputy's act of kindness brought a smile to a little girl's face Sunday morning.
Miyah Washington, 12, was building a snowman by herself when Chris Blanding of the Richland County Sheriff's Office stopped his patrol car and offered to help.
"I just thought that was so awesome that he would actually take the time out of his day and help [a] little kid in her yard," Miyah's mom DaVida Washington told ABC News today. "I thought it was pretty cool and she did too, she was very excited."
Washington, 39, a resident of Columbia, South Carolina, was diagnosed with breast cancer August 2016.
She was fighting a cold on March 12 and was resting inside her home when her daughter, Miyah, went to play outside.
"Plus my white blood cells are low, so I can't be out in the cold," Washington said. "I've been under the weather for a couple of days so Sunday was one of those days I couldn't go out."
Miyah was trying to make a snowman when Deputy Blanding stopped by and asked if he could join the fun. She agreed and the pair posed for a picture, taken by her father.
Lieutenant Curtis Wilson of the Richland County Sheriff's Office told ABC News that Blanding, who was working on his regular shift that day, is an asset to the department.
"The Richland County Sheriff's Department believes in unity in the community and we want to show them we are just as human," he said. "[One] of the ways we do that is getting to know the people in the community where we are working to protect and serve."
Wilson said Blanding was unaware Washington had cancer until after she shared the image of him and her daughter on a local news organization's Facebook page.
Washington said she was thankful to Blanding for being kind to her daughter.
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