An elderly man fell from the edge of his roof while trying to blow leaves on Wednesday afternoon. Fortunately, he managed to hold onto the tiles until help arrived, as shown in a video of the incident.
The man’s identity hasn’t been disclosed, but he appeared relieved when he noticed two police officers making their way to him. This was noted in a post by the Tampa Police Department.
“Okay, sir,” one of the officers said as they approached.
“I’m glad someone caught me,” the elderly man responded.
Officers Jason Sikoski and Caleb Girard rushed to assist the individual, who was seen hanging from the roof of his three-story home.
When they arrived, he was still clinging to the tiles but was slowly sliding down, with his legs dangling over the edge.
They quickly climbed through a window to reach the roof.
The officers grabbed one of his wrists each, carefully pulling him to safety, even as he tried to cope with the discomfort of the tiles against his bare feet.
Once he was back on the roof, they all took a moment to catch their breath, and the man awkwardly apologized for the situation.
“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” he said.
“It’s not your fault. That’s what we’re here for,” Girard reassured him.
“You got here so quickly,” the man complimented, visibly grateful.
“That’s what we’re trying to do,” Girard responded modestly.
“Well, you do a very good job,” the man insisted.
The police later mentioned that he lost his footing while trying to clear leaves off the roof.
Responding officers, aided by Tampa Fire Rescue, helped escort the man safely back to the ground.
The police expressed their gratitude for the swift response and noted their appreciation for community trust during emergencies.
Several people reacted with sympathy for the elderly man, with one user humorously suggesting he might have thought he could still handle climbing onto a roof.
