A Facebook video capturing a Manhattan Starbucks worker's act of kindness toward NYPD and FDNY officers stationed at the Chelsea explosion site after the weekend blast has caught the attention of millions.
A reporter from University of Central Florida's KnightNews.com was covering the aftermath of the New York City explosion when he captured the touching moment Sunday morning.
The Starbucks manager, later identified as Germaine Zolkos, is seen handing over bags filled with coffee and pastries to an NYPD officer and two FDNY EMS paramedics, saying, "There's milk in there, cream, cups of sugar. A few pastries, y'all can share them."
"I wish I could give a little more," he tells the surprised officer and paramedics over the police barrier.
"No, man, this is awesome," one of the grateful FDNY paramedics says.
After the Facebook video posted by KnightNews.com went viral -- it had racked up 12 million views by Monday evening -- the college reporter caught up with Zolkos.
Purple Sky Graces New York City at Sunset
Local
"It was the least I could have did," Zolkos told KnightNews.com. "These guys, they run to danger, instead of, you know, running from danger."
"I just figured, why not," he added. "We should be nice to each other and we should be kind to each other. I think that will stop a lot of this negative outbreaks."
Starbucks said Zolkos is a 14-year employee from the Bronx who manages the coffee shop at 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue, one of the business and homes evacuated after the explosion, which injured 29 people.
When Zolkos couldn't get a hold of two of his baristas to tell them the store was closed the next day, he waited to get in touch with them in person and reported back to his district manager that everyone was safe and accounted for, Starbucks said.
Double Rainbow Stuns Over New York City
He then went to another Starbucks down a block and picked up three coffee traveler jugs, a few cups of milk and as many scones and muffins the store could spare.
"I didn’t think there would be a huge reaction to just dropping off Starbucks, but the officers were definitely happy to see me and then I later found out someone was recording it," he told Starbucks. "So many people are telling me I did something really special. I like to care for others, so this was just natural for me."
Zolkos said empathy is something he's especially gained from having a son with autism.
"I have three kids and always want them to care about others around them," he said. "If nothing else I now have a video that helps them realize what can happen when you’re a kind person and they’ll have a story to tell about their dad."
Other local residents brought the officers pizza. Video posted to Instagram showed four people walking up to cops behind a barricade, each carrying three or four pies.
