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Police officer provides homeless family with shelter and food on his own dime

"It means something to me to be able to help others, but it's just part of my job description."
/ Source: TODAY

A kindhearted police officer helped Tierra Gray and her family get back on their feet after they got evicted from their home in Oxford, Ohio, where her children attend school.

In need of a place to stay, Gray took her two sons to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 19, where they met Deputy Brian Bussell.

Bussell saw them sitting in the lobby at around 9 a.m. and assumed they were there visiting someone.

But when he noticed that they were still there hours later, he asked if she needed any help.

"The two boys were sleeping and Tierra looked exhausted herself," Bussell told TODAY.com. "I knew something wasn't right."

After Gray explained she had nowhere to go, Bussell and Dispatch Supervisor started making calls to local shelters.

Each was either overcrowded or required a certain time commitment, so the bighearted cop booked them a hotel for 10 days, using money out of his own pocket.

On his way to the hotel, the 25-year police vet realized the trio didn't have any personal belongings, so he took a detour to a local Walmart.

There, Bussell sprung for new clothes, toiletries, snacks and even shoes, after one of the boys graciously asked for a pair.

"This is a true act of kindness," Sheiff Richard K. Jones wrote on Facebook.

"He did not tell anyone at work what he had done but the lady took a picture with him and posted it on Facebook. That’s actually how we found out.

“It was shared so many times that I got a phone call asking if I knew what a generous gesture my deputy did,” Jones added.

“I am pleased that he was able to help this family out. This speaks volumes in light of all the recent negativity people are saying about law enforcement. I have some of the best employees here.”

Gray, meanwhile, is getting back on her feet.

She and her family moved into a new apartment in Oxford on Friday, and her husband is working in Cincinnati in hopes of saving enough money to buy a car.

"It means something to me to be able to help others, but it's just part of my job description," Bussell said.