A state trooper’s good deed is going viral this week after it was caught on camera, unbeknownst to him.

New York State Trooper Chris Mahoney often stops at a local Fastrac in Rochester during his time on patrol, and recently, he noticed a man carrying heavy bags and sleeping gear. Mahoney stopped to talk to him and learned that the man had only had a donut to eat that day. That’s when the trooper offered to buy the man a small meal and something to drink.

Mahoney had no idea that another shopper had snapped a photo of his good deed and posted it on social media, where it quickly went viral. Reporters then tracked Mahoney down so they could learn how the good deed went down.

“He said he was 37 years old, been drifting for 20 years. Originally from Vegas, traveled here to Rochester and is trying to get to New Orleans,” recalled Mahoney. “He was a kind individual. I just wanted to get to know him, be proactive. I like to talk to people.”

“I asked him the last time he had anything to eat or drink because he looked thirsty. He said he had a donut that morning so I offered to buy him something to drink and to eat inside the Fastrac,” he added. “It doesn’t take much, it doesn’t take money, it just takes someone to care, to take the time, which is our most important commodity. To take a moment to take the effort to give back to the community.”

It often seems like only negative stories about police officers go viral these days, so it’s refreshing to see something good about them get coverage for a change! Find out more about Mahoney’s good deed in the video below.