By Dan Copp
The Houma Courier, La.
HOUMA COURIER, La. — Mowing the lawn was probably the last thing on Lafourche sheriff’s Capt. Cortrell Davis’ mind when he was driving with his son and daughter one hot July afternoon in Thibodaux last year.
But when he passed an elderly man struggling with his push mower, the law enforcement veteran knew what he had to do.
“You can tell he was struggling because that grass was pretty high and it was really hot,” Davis said. “I couldn’t just pass him up and not offer my help. So I turned the car around and asked him politely if he minded if I cut his grass. He looked at me kind of shocked.”
The man eventually agreed, and Davis mowed the entire lawn wearing in his Lafourche Parish sheriff’s uniform.
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“Once I finished the front yard, I went to cut the back,” Davis said. “It was so hot and I was soaking wet.”
Davis’ son recorded the occurrence on his phone and the video was eventually posted to social media. Days later it went viral and Davis was getting interviewed by media outlets all over the country.
Although Davis’ selfless act received national attention, he said he didn’t do it for the fame and glory. It was intended to send a positive and inspiring message, he said.
“My goal was to share the video with my peers just to show them something positive because we’re always deflecting negativity,” said Davis, who’s served with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office for 20 years. “I didn’t want it to be misconstrued that I was looking for attention. It was also done as a lesson to my kids and it was straight from the heart.”
Davis was recently honored for his good deed in Baton Rouge when he received a Heart of Law Enforcement award along with 10 officers from across the state who were recognized for acts of kindness performed outside the scope of their normal duties.
Officers from the Alexandria Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Gonzales Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and Zachary Police Department also received awards during the ceremony, which featured Gov. John Bel Edwards and other dignitaries.
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Davis said he hopes his good deed will inspire others to do similar random acts of kindness and to serve as positive role models.
“A phrase I like to use with my kids sometimes is ‘pay it forward,’” Davis said. “Sometimes you’ve got to pay it forward.”
Although cutting the thick grass in his uniform in the blistering heat was no easy task, Davis said the uniform gave him a platform to affect positive change in the community.
“I compare law enforcement to professional sports,” he said. “I love the platform, the ability to have a captured audience. People tend to listen better. I want to use the badge to set good examples in the community.”
©2018 The Houma Courier, La.