An Evansville, Ill. police officer recently rescued a young girl's beloved teddy bear from a busy roadway, and on Wednesday was thanked in person.
Dashcam video shows Sgt. Jason Cullum traveling on I-164 when he stopped his cruiser to retrieve an object in the road.
The object was third-grader Nikki Mayo's teddy bear -- one she later said was special, because it was her first, according to WTVW-TV.
As Cullum continued on his way down the road, he was able to catch up with Mayo's family, who had been searching for the stuffed animal, and safely returned it to them.
To show her appreciation, Mayo invited the officer to the Chandler Library and thanked him for his efforts -- hugging the officer at the same time she held on tight to her bear.
"I'm so happy that he found her," Mayo said.
Cullum told the news station that he was just glad he could help.
"We know the importance a teddy bear plays in society," he said. "They save the world sometimes. On that day the teddy bear needed saving."
