LEE COUNTY, Ala. (WRBL) – A Lee County Deputy is sharing how a random act of kindness bestowed upon him by three young ladies while he was grabbing a quick bite to eat, will forever live in his heart.

Lee County Deputy Manuel Stone gets emotional thinking about the kind gesture he experienced while having lunch this week in Lee County. Deputy Stone was sitting by himself in uniform when three young ladies approached and handed him a note.

“They walked up with a piece of paper and said, will you do us a favor, and I said sure. They said, don’t open this note until we leave, and I was like okay. So, they left, and I opened it. The note says: “We have paid for your meal. Thank you for your service to our community.” It made me feel really good. I still get a little teary-eyed,” said Deputy Stone.

Deputy Stone has kept the note with him in his patrol vehicle since Tuesday’s kind gesture. Suddenly a slip of paper became a forever keepsake.

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones says not a day goes by someone doesn’t thank him or one of his deputies for a job well done. Sheriff Jones says Deputy Stone is an excellent peace officer who always puts others’ service above himself.

“It means so much, more than anyone will ever know. It’s fascinating how a simple piece of paper can be transformed into what our peace officers consider a priceless document when the words of a youngster are applied in support of us,” shared Lee County, Sheriff Jay Jones.

Deputy Stone says the community has always been supportive. He believes the positive relationship is a testament to the training local peace officers and deputies receive and how they interact daily with the public.

Deputy Stone says this gesture on behalf of the three teenagers touched his heart because it came from a younger generation. Deputy Stone is a father of three and enjoys coaching sports when he’s out of uniform.

“I love serving people, I love protecting people, and I love the community I live in,” shared Deputy Stone.

Deputy Stone also feels called to serve as a bridge as Americans discuss race relations in our community and law enforcement.

“I’m literally in the middle. I am white. I am black, and I’m police. I am smack dab in the middle, so I am connected and have experiences on all three sides,” shared Deputy Stone.

Deputy Stone believes the vast majority of Lee County Law Enforcement wear the badge with pride and honor – in service of a thankful community.

“We hear about so much negative. I want to share the positives on all sides, we need more of that,” shared Deputy Stone.

Deputy Stone says kind gestures, like having a meal paid for along with a kind note, go a long way as we continue to build an even better, more unified community.