For 30 Minutes, Philadelphia Police Officer Laid on Hot Asphalt Next to 80-Year-Old He Couldn't Save
July 30, 2023

After a truck hit 80-year-old Maryalice McGrath, Philadelphia police officer Francis Lynch realized he couldn't save her. But what he could do was stay by her side until the end. And his heartwarming gesture meant the world to the elderly woman's grieving family!
80-year-old Maryalice McGrath didn't get behind the wheel much anymore. Instead, she relied on her feet for most of her independent travel.
RELATED: Powerful Photo Of A Police Officer Laying Beside A Dying Horse Goes Viral
"She didn't drive many places, but she did walk often and she had gone that day to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription," explained Molly Quinn, the woman's niece.
On her way back home, the driver of a truck failed to spot for Maryalice while she was crossing the intersection. And Philadelphia police officer Francis Lynch, who was at the intersection too, could do nothing to stop the truck from hitting the elderly woman.
Officer Lynch immediately called for an ambulance and back up. But Maryalice's injuries were beyond his abilities to treat. He knew he couldn't save her.
So, he did the only thing he could. And the incredible act of compassion is touching hearts all over!
Unable to save the injured 80-year-old woman, the Philadelphia police officer did the next best thing. He laid down next to her for 30 minutes in traffic and stayed by her side as her soul departed from this world.
It was a scorching day in July, so that meant the hot pavement burned Officer Lynch's skin as he laid there. In fact, he suffered burns so serious, they would later need to be treated at the hospital.
But none of that mattered to the compassionate Philadelphia police officer. He wanted Maryalice to know she wasn't alone, no matter the cost to his own safety.
Hero's Actions Bless Victim's Grieving Family
Watching the 80-year-old woman die and knowing he could do nothing to stop it has been very hard on Officer Lynch. The memories still haunt him, especially when he crosses the intersection of the accident. And he refuses to see himself as a hero, despite what everyone else says.
"I'm sure it's going to take more time for me," he says. "But I still have a job to do and I've got to keep doing that."
RELATED: Widow Is Caught Shoplifting At Walmart And Hours Later, Same Police Officer Turns Up At Her Door
And while it was a terrible thing to experience, the Philadelphia police officer's selfless act has been a blessing for Maryalice's grieving family.
God called Officer Lynch to that intersection for a reason. His purpose wasn't to save the woman's life but to bring her comfort and peace as she left for Heaven.
"I think he was there for a reason and he was her guardian angel," Molly said. "And he went above and beyond the call of duty by just lying in the street next to this poor woman when she needed him."
In a time when so many people are dying alone due to the coronavirus pandemic, Maryalice's family finds comfort in knowing their loved one wasn't alone.
So often we think being the hero means fixing the problem or saving the day. But sometimes God is simply calling us to be there. He can use our presence to remind others of His love. We just need to be still and trust Him!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 2 Sacramento Police Officers Find Homeless Family Living Behind Walmart
"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10
WATCH: Philadelphia Police Officer Lays In Traffic With Dying 80-Year-Old Woman
LISTEN: Manager Comes Out Of Popeyes Restaurant And Goes Up To Homeless Woman In Parking Lot
h/t: WPVI-TV
Featured Image Credit: Youtube/6abc Philadelphia
Mel is the senior writer for GodUpdates, finding, writing and sharing Christian, uplifting, and health-related stories from around the world. Mel has a passion for writing and graduated with a degree in English from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. When she’s not researching and writing stories, Mel is very active in her church. You can usually find Mel playing board games with her husband and two young girls, giving someone a hug, or hunting down a good cup of coffee!
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Accept God's Call - Your Daily Prayer - May 17
What if God called you to act? Discover the power—and the struggle—behind saying, ‘Here I am, send me.’
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Accept God's Call - Your Daily Prayer - May 17
What if God called you to act? Discover the power—and the struggle—behind saying, ‘Here I am, send me.’
Past Stories
- Brothers Discover 1976 Message in a Bottle, Then Find the Man Who Wrote It
- California High School Discovers They Have 14 Sets of Twins in Their Graduating Class
- Paralyzed Pup Tyrion Finds New Life With a Doggie Wheelchair
- Autistic 8-Year-Old Boy Goes Missing, Found by Water Thanks to Quick Response
- Two Nurses Come to the Rescue of a Teen Girl in the Process of Being Kidnapped
- She Hired a Private Detective and Found the Sisters She Never Knew She Had
- Brave Man Jumps Into Water to Save Woman After She Was Attacked By Bull Shark
- She Was Going to Miss Prom After Breaking Her Back at a Trampoline Park, the Hospital Had Other Plans
- Mom Finds Hope After Tragedy, Hears Her Daughter’s Heartbeat in a Child Who Got a Second Chance
- 90-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Has Saved Over 10,000 Animals, and She’s Still Not Slowing Down
- First Responders Rescue 9-Month-Old From House Fire By Going Through Window
- Playful Black Bear Climbs Playground and Rides the Slide, Just Like a Kid
- Singer Michael Bolton Opens Up About His Aggressive Brain Cancer Diagnosis
- Brave 5-Year-Old Climbs 35 Feet Up a Tree, Firefighters Rush to the Rescue
- Woman Finds Her Father After Almost 28 Years — And Learns the Truth About Why He Left
- Woman Saves Her Late Son’s Best Friend’s Mom With a Life-Changing Donation
- An Indie Bookstore Asked for Help, What Happened Next Will Warm Your Heart
- From Teen Sweethearts to 80 Years of Marriage: ‘God Was So Good to Give Him to Me’
- WWII Veteran Celebrates His 101st Birthday and 75 Years of Marriage to His Loving Wife
- 88-Year-Old Korean War Veteran and Great-Grandfather Graduates From College
- One Year After Losing Boys in a Fire, Parents Find Light in the Form of a Beautiful Blessing
- They Dress Up As Disney Princesses to Bring Joy and Hope to Sick Children, and it's Amazing
- This Couple Parents Triplets and Foster Sons from Wheelchairs, and It’ll Leave You Inspired
- Two-Year-Old is Found By Rancher's Dog After Walking 7 Miles From Home
- Couple Reunites 15-Year-Old Blind Dog With Owners After Finding Her in the Wilderness
- He Saved Her Life in a Pool Accident Five Years Ago, Now They Are Engaged
- Actress Chrissy Metz Left Hollywood For Nashville and She Couldn't Be Happier
- Stranger Helps 81-Year-Old Waitress Who Couldn't Afford to Retire, Now Her Prayers Have Been Answered
- 49-Year-Old Melanie Barratt Becomes First Blind Woman to Swim the English Channel
- 9-Year-Old Boy Remembered By Teacher and Community After Being Swept Away By Flood Waters
- 16-Year-Old Heard a Family's Cries and Saved Them From a House Fire
- Family Grows From 4 to 8 Overnight After Welcoming Identical Quadruplet Daughters
- Little Girl With Autism Reminds Others of Snow White and Her Connection to Animals
- Candace Cameron Bure Shares Fantastic News That Former Co-star, Dave Coulier, is Cancer-Free
- Soldier is Reunited With the Dog She Served With While Deployed
- Her Grandfather Kept a Log of Every Memory He Had With Her Grandmother, and It's Precious
- This 30-Year-Old Feline Might Just Be the World's Oldest Cat
- Special Messages About Love From Kindergarten Class Displayed at Teacher's Wedding
- A Sneaky Brown Tree Snake Slithers Into An Oven in Australia, and Luckily Doesn't Get Cooked
- Florida Man Meets the Son Who Had Been Searching For Him For Almost 40 Years
- Four-Year-Old Sends Out a Message in a Bottle, Receives Reply Less Than Two Weeks Later
- Delivery Driver Saves Woman's Life After Double Checking When Something Didn't Seem Right
- Woman in Heels Stops Robbery at Convenience Store With Her Impressive Martial Arts Skills
- Man That Survived More Than 90 Days at Sea Thought About His Mother Every Single Day
- Quick Thinking 9-Year-Old Saves Choking Friend During Snack Time Emergency
- Video Store Owner Creates 'Christina's Corner' For a Long-Time Customer
- Texas Man Gets Married in the Hospital After Kidney Transplant
- A Bride to Be and Her Best Friend Have Plane to Themselves and Enjoy Every Minute of it
- Dogs Come to School to Help Comfort Young Students Affected by the Eaton Fire
- Toddler Braves the Dark to Save His Great-Grandma
Top Artists
Top Music Videos

Danny Gokey Danny Gokey's Powerful 'Open Up The Gates' Lyric Video

Oak Ridge Boys 'Jesus Is Coming Soon' The Oak Ridge Boys

Alabama Live Performance of 'Because He Lives' by Alabama

Oak Ridge Boys 'Because He Lives' Classic Performance From The Oak Ridge Boys

Colton Dixon 'The Other Side' - Colton Dixon Song For Lost Loved Ones
Blog
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.