Christy Richardson’s son “Bubba,” who has autism, was having one of those overwhelming days when nothing could calm him. Knowing his love for police officers, Christy reached out for help.
Deputy Corey Loftis showed up—not with sternness, but with patience and warmth. Instead of talking at Bubba, he dropped to the floor and started doing push-ups, inviting the boy to join him.
What began as tension soon turned into laughter. Bubba smiled, then laughed—something his mom thought was impossible that day.
Deputy Loftis didn’t just respond to a call. He connected, cared, and turned a storm into a moment of joy.
Christy later posted about the encounter on social media, never expecting it to spread beyond her small circle of friends. But within hours, the story went viral. Messages poured in from parents of children with autism, thanking Deputy Loftis for showing the world what compassion looks like in uniform.
One comment read: “This is the kind of officer my son dreams of meeting someday. Thank you for proving that kindness is strength.”
Deputy Loftis brushed off the attention. “I didn’t do anything special,” he said in an interview. “I just treated Bubba like a person who needed a friend in that moment.”
But to Christy, and to countless parents who saw the video, it was more than that. It was hope. Proof that even on the hardest days, there are people willing to kneel down, meet a child where they are, and turn fear into laughter.
And for Bubba, it wasn’t just push-ups on the floor. It was the day he gained a hero—and a friend.