We need more stories like this
The Story Behind the Photo: Nearly 25 years ago, then Boston Herald photographer Curtis Ackerman captured the enclosed image of Boston Police Officer Frank Pomodoro comforting his partner and police horse, Fritz, who had fallen into a sidewalk construction hole that had been covered over by a steel plate just outside the old District D-4 station which, at the time, was located in the area of Berke…ley Street and Warren Ave. Pomodoro was inside the station when someone came running in and told him that his horse had fallen into a hole. When Pomodoro got outside, he immediately feared the worst. A broken leg and he knew that his partner of three years would have to be put down. In fact, according to Pomodoro, the one question he hears more often than any other when people reference the picture of his horse in the hole is whether or not Fritz survived the fall. In response to that question, Pomodoro gratefully offers the following, “He was back to work in three weeks and, luckily, he only suffered a cut to one of his front legs.”
The enclosed photo was taken on October 31, 1989 and Frank remembers the day like it was yesterday. “I remember it was Halloween because I had to call my wife and tell her that I wasn’t gonna be home in time to give out the candy,” said Pomodoro. Reflecting back on that day, Pomodoro says a number of things still stick out and have stayed with him to this day. “The compassion of people on that day is one of the things I’ll never forget. It was really amazing. Perfect strangers and even one guy I had locked up came running over to help Fritz.” Pomodoro says the help provided by perfect strangers was especially evident when the Fire Department arrived on scene and secured a rope around Fritz because there was some concern that the horse might slip or slide deeper into the hole. Pomodoro recalls, “The rope fastened around Fritz stretched across the street and I remember there were somewhere between 15 to 20 people grabbing a hold of the rope to make sure Fritz stayed put. The compassion of perfect strangers was unbelievable.”
However, the challenge of extricating an almost 1500 pound horse from a hole would require something a whole lot stronger and more substantial than a rope fastened around the horse’s midsection. “We needed a crane,” said Pomodoro. And, as luck would have it, Shaugnessy & Ahearn, a local rigging company, had a crane job going on just around the corner. Said Pomodoro, “We went up the street and told them what was going on and the crane came down and pulled Fritz out.” Pomodoro continues, “My mother was so grateful, she sent a fruit basket to Mr. Shaugnessy, the owner of the company, thanking him for what they did for Fritz.”
These days, Pomodoro is a detective assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit. He’s got a few more years to go before he can retire and, although he’s certainly seen the best and the worst of people during his almost 30 year career, Pomodoro says nothing compares to the kindness and compassion he witnessed firsthand nearly 25 years ago. “I met a lot of really great people that day and, to this day, I have nothing but gratitude to those who came over to help Fritzie. I’ll never forget them.”
PROLOGUE:
Jim Griggs My wife and I adopted Fritz and he lived out his life in the pasture with his favorite mare in Nc.
Carol D. Showalter Mr Jack Shaughnessy just died last November—the owner of Shaughnessy and Ahern Crane Company and I just want to tell you that Mr. Shaughnessy remained the most kind and giving man I have known. His life, his faith, and his big heart blessed people over and over again. This story again tells of his kindness. It blessed me to read it this morning
3 June at 07:28
Anne-Marie Brandt What a wonderful story!! We need more stories like this rather than the celebrity dirt that is regurgitated daily…
Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152193777477685&set=a.341505297684.154456.278872877684&type=1&theater
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Yes ….we need more stories like this. A kind man a kind soul…..Frank Pomodoro a Boston Police Officer is caught on picture comforting his partner a police horse, Fritz. Fritz, has fallen into a sidewalk construction hole and needed immediate help. It was really amazing, when strangers , more officers, ex-convicts came running over to help Fritz. Team work and intelligence of about 20 men making sure Fritz stayed put. Unbelievable with the help of a crane , they managed to pulled out Fritz almost 1500 pound horse from a hole. Compassion conquers all.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
The beautiful story behind the photos tells us a thousand words so meaningful,kindness and compassion.Very true we need more stories like this. Police Officer Frank Pomodoro stays by his police horse name Fritz comforting him ,as the horse suffered a fall in steel hole.
The beautiful part was so many compassionate people came to help even it was just a horse.
Animals do needs love,caring and kindness….they are like us.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
We definitely would love to read more stories like this. It is so heart warming to know that people do not care if it is an animal or human but extend their assistance to save the horse. What makes me surprise was the guy who was captured by Officer Frank Pomodoro came to help the horse too.
It is true that everyone has a Bodhi mind and compassion. We just need to practise and express it.
I personally realized that olden day people are more sociable, more caring and also more helpful to each other even though they are strangers than modern day people. When accident happens, modern day people will just take out their phones and start taking pictures or videos to post it on social media about who knows what happen while olden day people would actually try help the people who are injured.
This shows how much people these days have degenerated and how much modern technologies have affected our lives. Of course, technologies these days have made our lifestyles much easier but it also made a huge impact on our relationships with each other.
A lot of modern day people don’t even leave their house often, they just stay at home watch TV, play with video games or stream on social media.
If this everybody continues to be like this, what do you think the world will be like in the year 2050? Isn’t scary to even think about it? So stop being at home so much, start going out and make new friends! Thank you for reading.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this inspiring story. From the enclosed photo we can see the compassion from the expression showing in Frank Pomotoro’s eyes. How wonderful our world will be if everyone does has the compassion just like what Frank Pomotoro and the people who were around there does. Because of their compassion, Fritz’s life saved. Actually there are many people and animals who we can see in our daily life need love and care, try to help them when they need will not only benefit them but also us.
It is just pleasant to be reading such a post. I am super happy that the horse is fine after it is being rescued from the man hole. It is just great that passerbys were helping in that rescue mission of Fritzie. They just helped without obligations, asking nothing in return. The love and care for others is just amazing.
It is really nice to be reading posts like this. Unlike all the politics and troubles that people create out of their own jealousy.
I really hope that people these days would also be able to do things like that in order to help and promote love and care. The celebrities nowadays are all promoting hatred, war, sex, and drugs. I just cannot imagine what would happen to the population 10 years later down, the kids would be in war having so much hatred. I just really wish that more celebrities would promote about good causes in their work instead of negative things so that the younger generation would be able to have a more positive childhood, then be able to grow up into a caring, loving, and compassionate person.
This story reminds me that in general people are kind and caring by nature. I have encountered kindness from perfect strangers many times. Because of this, we must never give up on people.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this inspiring story. In this degenerating time, there are still kind people always stay with us and help us when we are in needs. Compassion is part of human nature. Thank you
What a story that touches anyone’s heart. It shows that people just set aside differences and went the extra mile to help the helpless animal. The compassion of perfect strangers was unbelievable. Humans are compassionate souls, just that we need to unleash more of it to show that we do care about other beings or animals. Selfless act should be nurtured anywhere. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing an inspiring story.
Wonderful to have great news like this, and 25 years ago I suppose people are much less complicated. The more complicated people are the slower they will react to help others in need. In that sense people in the olden days were less complicated and happier.
Very touching after read the story, look back the photo, I just saw a man like comfort his own children, and really happy to know a lot of kind people to show their care and help to Fritz even though he is a horse. We need to have a care society to treat all equally.
Thank you Rinpoche for the story. I felt happy, and glad reading about it. When people are selfless, it brightens one’s days and inspires one to do good for others, giving unconditionally.
Dear Rinpoche,
This story of Frank Pomodoro and Fritz is truly a heartwarming and touching story.
This story really shows the close relationship between a human and a animal and how far one is willing to go in order to save each other.
In this case for example Frank Pomodoro is willing to go as far as to getting help from the crane company nearby, missing out on giving treats to the neighborhood kids as well as probably having a late dinner and etc.
I agree with what Rinpoche has said that there should be more stories like this instead of all the useless celebrity gossip.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this wonderful story!
Love
Jutika
It is truly a great story!
I really love the part that even total strangers helped the poor animal, including a guy that Detective Pomodoro locked up! The guy didn’t even feel any grudge against Detective Pomodoro and helped Fritz out.
It is sad to see that over a short span of 20 years [since 1989 where the incident took place], people are getting more and more violent against animals, rather than developing more love and compassion towards them, when the animals cannot freely express their thoughts and emotions.
Anyhow…thank you Rinpoche, for this wonderful article. I hope it will ignite some love in people living in the current society 🙂
This story clearly show that everyone of us has the potential to be kind & compassion to others, no matter who or what they are. We just need to discover that potential which is within us.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this inspiring story.
Thank You for the wonderful story Rinpoche, from the picture we can are that Pomodoro really does care about Fritzie, it’s such a heartwarming picture although the situation isn’t that good, but it proves that their bond is very unique.
“The compassion of perfect strangers was unbelievable” to Mr Pomodoro who came to help to save his horse Fritz and he is so grateful to those kind and compassionate people especially Mr Jack Shaughnessy even though it happened almost 25 years ago. This is truly an inspiring story, also happy to know that there are still so many kind hearted people out there, thank you for sharing!
Dearest Rinpoche
THis article made my day, I have heard that race horses are put to sleep even for the slightest injury because they are deemed not useful anymore. It is really nice and wonderful to know there are still people who are compassionate and loving enough not to forsaken the animal when it is injured. The Picture of Frank Pomodoro comforting Fritz is indeed very touching and there is soo much of LOVE in THAT ONE PIC . One importaint lesson I learnt from this article and pic is that of Gratitude, the amount of gratitude Pomodoro and his mother had for the people who helped to rescues Fritz is simply oerwhealmingly beautiful. Thank you dear Rinpoche and my humblest DANDVAT PRANAMAS to you.
We can change the world for the better when we put way our differences and focus on our common goal: happiness and love. For the moment where complete strangers got together to save Fritz, each and every person let go of the “I” and focused out. This is what he Dharma teaches us to do: to remove one of the three poisons, i.e the self-cherishing.
It was said that, if any, the good that arose from the 911 incident in New York was that it united the people.
Rinpoche is right, we do need more stories of hope like this.
Thank you for the sharing.Indeed more of these stories should be told,to remind us that there are those who are truly kind and compassionate towards others well beings.For their sincere and quick action,it truly reflect their true nature.Their action should be praised and it should be a example for others to follow.
If everyone would respond in such a manner towards others in need,would it not be a much meaningful world to live in……full of love and caring!!!
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing on this inspiring true story of Boston Police Officer Frank Pomodoro and his police horse Fritz. The people around the horse had put up a good job and reunited as one to pull the injured horse out. In this degenerating age, we really need a lot of this stories as more and more people will not stop their cars and help wherever there’s a car accident happens. We just need to start from ourself and step forward to become examples to many people outside.
Thank you for sharing this heartwarming story. Goes to show that there is still kindness left in this world and people will appreciate it 25 years on. Guess, we have to relearn to connect with our hearts again in the modern world.
The greatest amount of tranquility is said to come from the developement of love and compassion. The more we care for others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. The more we can strive towards to become more compassionate, the greater our geniune sympathy for the sufferings of others, including animals will become. As a result, the will of wanting to remove the pain of others will increase, thus strengthening our own inner strength in always helping others. But, just simply thinking and saying how nice compassion is, is not enough! We need to develop it, by using all events of our daily life,(like the above story that we have read) to transform our mind and behaviour. Accustoming our mind to this sense of “universial Altruism” will develop and strengthen our feeling of responsibility to helping all other beings. Om mani Padme Hung.
Every living being on earth has feelings and they can feel pain. Hence it is only right to have the same compassion we have to our next of kin shown towards animals as well.
Reaction of the general public in Boston, 1989 showed us the conscious level of the society there was mature. It is a good example.
Thank You Rinpoche for sharing.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this beautiful story with us it do bring a lot of joy when reading about it. The story remind us about important of kindness to not just to human also to animals, actually if we think about it the more we should be kind to them because animal is mute they cannot speak for themselves .
In the picture, we can see the love and bond between Fritz and the police officer. Animals cannot speak of themselves but their action and body language can and it’s shown clearly in this picture. I’m glad they didn’t put down Fritz and so many strangers came over to offer help just for this one animal that had fallen into the hole. It’s amazing when people come and work together with compassion and love for a horse. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing. We do need more stores like this to remind us constantly of the compassion and kindness we have within all of us.
Dear Rinpoche, thank you for a wonderful story of humanity. One that gives the message of care, warmth and compassion. It is true though… we need more of such stories that touches the heart and encourages people to care beyond culture, creed and superficiality of every day pop culture. What’s amazing about this story is not just kindness and empathy shown amongst ourselves but extended towards horses – animals whom cannot really reciprocate the kindness shown. That’s just about one of the rarest kinds of such tales. One day, society would be filled with such stories instead of stories of excess, materialism, violence, crime, aggression, greed and all manner of ugliness becomes lesser or goes into the background. After all, we are all about celebrating humanity.
Thank You Rinpoche for sharing this touching story to remind us to be kind to others. Especially, in this degenerating time, a lot of “hit and run” cases, I often heard that the injured people laying on the street for hours and nobody went up to offer help (a lot of innocent people pass away in this way). My father passed away in this manner too; he fainted at home due to heart attack and we have to carry him from 17th floor to down stair to fetch him to hospital, no body was willing to give hand to offer help.
I do not hate them and I choose to forgive them too. However, I would like to take a vow to help whatever I can help in any accidents if I witness.
Thank You Rinpoche for inspiration.
This is a warm story and is real. It’s lovely to see and remind us to love our animal partner or friend with so much love and care. We might realized that normally and most of the time when accidents or unexpected incidents happen to us, those who help us and showing kindness are perfect strangers..Thank you Rinpoche, hope Rinpoche and US team are well and healthy.
i am so happy the horse is okay and I love it when people help animals like this, as they all come together to help. I love animals and this story is amazing. Thank you for sharing Rinpoche
What a great story! Thank you for sharing this. This story shall bring happiness and inspiration to others, to create awareness of kindness. Compassion is a part of human nature that we should nurture more often.
It’s so nice to read stories like this. I love it when people help animals and care for them. I am happy that Fritz did not suffer to much damage, and that he didn’t have to be put down. This story is very heartwarming and everyone should get the chance to read it. It could teach them a lesson on how to treat animals in the future.
Horses are the strangest things, they’re so big and strong but all they eat is grass all day! A bunch of Teenagers they are! If their ears go back & real close to their head it means danger you should not stand near. Thanks for posting the article. i have this habit of viewing animals as lower then me. And they are on some levels – they don’t have the capacity to practice Dharma. But when i re-train my mind to view them as equals (something that doesn’t happen naturally yet – i have to work on it & reason it out each day) then i Love them so much more! my favorite animal is a Dragon.
What a great to story to read just before I start my day. Thank you for sharing Guruji!
Dear Jim, You are very welcome. I love stories like this also. I share it to bring happiness and inspiration to others through reading about the kindness of others. Kindness is the way to live, grow, abide, share and finally die. Kindness makes our human potential realized. Much care to you, Tsem Rinpoche