A Massachusetts cardiologist who often commutes from her home states to Minnesota every month to help out during the COVID-19 crisis was not surprised when she saw the red and blue lights of a Minnesota State trooper in her rearview mirror.
Fox 18 in Phoenix reports that Dr. Sarosh Ashraf Janjua pulled over, fully expecting that she was about to get a ticket for speeding, but what she got instead reduced her to tears.
Dr. Janjua described the incident in a post on Facebook on March 27th that she was driving along Interstate 35 when she was pulled over. Trooper Brian Schwartz asked for her license and registration and went to his patrol car.
When the Trooper Schwartz came back to Dr. Janjua’s vehicle, he firmly told her that it was irresponsible for her to be speeding. He emphasized that if she got into an accident she would not only be taking up precious emergency resources, but she would not be in a position to help patients.
Feeling thoroughly chastised, the doctor was expecting a speeding ticket. State Trooper Schwartz trooper informed Dr. Janjua that he would be letting her off with a warning instead. As she reached out expecting a warning citation, her fingers wrapped around a stack of five N95 masks instead.
Realizing what it was that the trooper had given her, Dr. Janjua burst into tears.
Upon later reflection, Dr. Janjua concluded that the State trooper must have noticed her own masks in her purse., and that he had shared masks that the State of Minnesota had given him to help a stranger. Wishing the doctor well, he returned to his patrol cruiser.
“This complete stranger, who owed me nothing and is more on the front lines than I am, shared his precious masks with me, without my even asking,” Dr. Janjua told reporters.
“The veil of civilization may be thin, but not all that lies behind it is savage. We are going to be ok,” she said.
