A grandmother living in Tarrant, Alabama scrounged enough money for a carton of eggs, or so she thought. After getting to the checkout line, the woman was short 50 by cents, and she tucked five eggs into her coat pockets. Helen Johnson, 47, is no criminal, but when you are desperate, and have children depending on you—anyone might cross the line.

Johnson’s daughter welfare check was missing in the mail, and the grandmother’s disability check was not expected until the following week. Not only was she caught for shoplifting, but all the eggs broke, “I'm not a good thief at all,” she told AL.com.

Police Officer William Stacy was at the scene and said he wanted to assess the situation, and just slap cuffs on Johnson. He admitted that he knew what it was like to go through tough times when he was growing up with his sister, and felt that no child should be hungry.

She apologized to Stacy and handed him all the money she had, but he refused, and went into the store to by her the eggs.

“She tried to give me all the money she had on her which was $1.25. I told her to keep it. I don't want it. The way she can repay me is to never do this again.”

Johnson hugged the officer in the parking lot and it was caught on a cell phone and posted on Facebook. It went viral, and offers poured in so much, that Stacy drove her to headquarters to coordinate efforts.

“I felt like it was the right thing to do. I didn't want to pass judgment on her,” said Stacy.

He and another officer brought over bags of food, and Johnson’s cabinets were filled to the brim, with more offers coming in to help.

 “I was like, ‘Oh my God, thank you Jesus for this man.’ He is my hero.” 

According to Johnson, the family was down to one piece of bread in the house, now they have enough to even help others.