Man Holds Umbrella Over Deputy Saluting A Fallen Officer In The Rain

January 28, 2019

During the funeral procession for a fallen Birmingham police sergeant, someone snapped a photo of a special moment.

As Sgt. Wytasha Carter's procession passed through the city, Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Tiffany Dial stood in the rain saluting while a man stood behind her holding an umbrella over her head.

Meghan Blankenship witnessed the interaction and said the man stood there for well over 30 minutes.

"It brought tears to my eyes," Blackenship said, [for him] "to show that much respect and love for another individual."

Deputy Dial said she had no idea he was even there.

"I didn't know he was there. My peripheral vision was cut off with my hat, so I didn't know anything was there. I was in my moment," Dial said.

The man never said a word, and the deputy didn't get the chance to either. By the time she turned around, he was gone.

But the photo caught the attention of many people online and led to the local news station posting a call on Facebook to find the mystery man.

His name is Shawn Allen, an attorney who was at work on Saturday and watched for the procession.

"When it was going by my building at work, I wanted to go outside and pay my respect," Allen said.

Then he spotted Dial standing in the rain.

"It was raining and I had an umbrella and she didn't," Allen said. "It was just a nice thing to do."