A Viral Photo of a Police Officer Comforting a 3-Month-Old Is the Definition of the Word "Compassion"

.@DallasPD @Dallas_Sheriff working a major crash. Five ppl transported...two adults and three children. Details: @FOX4 @GoodDayFox4 pic.twitter.com/v5jcdMtZPC

— Samhdz (@SamHdz25) May 27, 2018

When Sam Hernandez, a photojournalist from Dallas, TX, arrived at the scene of a serious car crash, he was taken aback — but it had nothing to do with the wreckage. Instead, he focussed his lens on Dallas police officer and father of three, Donald Boice, who was soothing a 3-month-old baby by bouncing and singing to the child — and the photo is going completely viral.

It all started when Sam tweeted out several photos from the crash, but one in particular caught the eye of dozens of Twitter users: the picture of Donald embracing the infant. Why? Because it shows a compassionate side of police officers, something that citizens might not get to see every day.

Donald told Fox 4 News that he knew the situation was going to be bad before arriving at the scene early on May 27.

"The comments on the call sheet were that the vehicle had overturned and there were multiple children trapped inside the car," he said, adding that, "Honestly, my thoughts were just, 'Please, God. Not another one tonight.'"

And although he wasn't required to go to the car accident, he admits his paternal instincts kicked in: "At that point, you kind of go from cop to parent real quick."

Once Donald arrived at the scene, he was told that five people were in the Chevy Trailblazer when the driver hit an object in a construction zone and flipped over: two parents and their three kids ages 5, 2, and 3 months old.

"Both parents were screaming, 'Please don't let my baby die. Please don't let my babies die,'" said Donald. At that moment, he sprung into action. "The best I can do is just kind of keep him, bounce him, sing to him the same songs that I sang to my kids when they were that age."

Donald, who sees terrible accidents regularly, knows exactly how fragile life is.

"That could be my child, too. And I'd want someone treating my child the same way."