Police Officer Buys Warm Boots for Homeless Man

The photo of a young NYPD officer kneeling beside a barefoot homeless man after buying him a new pair of boots, is touching hearts all over the world today.

Officer Lawrence DePrimo encountered the homeless man at the crossroads of the world—Times Square.

The man was dressed in rags, his beard was unkempt and his feet were bare.

"It was freezing out and you could see blisters on the man's feet", Officer DePrimo told the New York Times. "I had two pairs of socks, and I was still cold", said Officer DePrimo.

Instead of ignoring the man's desperate plight, Officer DePrimo did something remarkable. He walked next door to a Sketchers shoe store and bought him a pair of boots.

Jose Cano was the store's night manager. He told INSIDE EDITION's Les Trent, "He said, 'Hey I need to buy boots.'"

And he didn't buy the cheapest ones. He bought a sturdy pair of all weather boots for $99.

Trent asked Cano, "This was good will all around. You actually gave him an employee discount?"

Cano said, "Sure, we were just inspired by this officer's generosity."

Officer DePrimo also bought a pair of thermal socks, and then returned to the homeless man to help him put them on.

"He smiled ear-to-ear. It was like you gave him a million dollars", Officer DePrimo said.

DePrimo is 25-years-old. He says he will keep the receipt for the boots with him at all times to remind him that, "Sometimes people have it worse."