State Trooper's Kind Words Save Struggling Single Mom During Traffic Stop

October 31, 2024

Today's good news story comes from Ravenna, Ohio.

In a heartfelt reunion, single mother Heather Tuttle reconnected with Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Charles Hoskin, the trooper who unknowingly saved her during one of her hardest moments.

police save single mom postpartum depression
News 5 Cleveland

Six years ago, Heather was pulled over by Sgt. Hoskin after repeatedly circling a block in her car with her newborn, desperately trying to calm her baby’s relentless cries. Exhausted and overwhelmed, Tuttle had been struggling with postpartum depression and said she found relief in being stopped.

"Just so someone would ask what was wrong, someone would see if I was okay, and someone would care enough to see if I was okay," Tuttle shared with News 5 Cleveland.

As her baby cried in the backseat, Sgt. Hoskin offered her comforting advice that would leave a lasting impact: “Sometimes it’s okay to walk away.”

His words encouraged her to take a much-needed pause. That night, she returned home, handed her daughter to her mother, and took the break she hadn’t allowed herself.

Now, six years later, Tuttle returned to the Ohio State Highway Patrol Post to thank Sgt. Hoskin.

Reflecting on that day, Hoskin said he never imagined a simple act of kindness could change lives.

"I never expected that by having a simple conversation, giving a little bit of fatherly advice on the side of the road I would have saved two people’s lives," he said.

Tuttle is now sharing her story to help other mothers who may be struggling with postpartum depression, hoping it can encourage others to seek support.