A Stranger Saved a Retired NYPD Officer’s Life on Christmas Eve, A Special Episode Worth Hearing. This is more than a headline. It is a true story of survival, loss, depression, and an unexpected moment of human connection that changed everything. Look for The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms.

Dean Simpson is a retired police officer from the New York City Police Department. Years before this Christmas Eve, he was shot in the line of duty during a violent, life-and-death encounter. He survived the attack, but the shooting left him permanently disabled. What followed was a slow, painful unraveling that many first responders know too well. The inpsiring episode is streaming for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and most every major Podcast platform

Purpose disappeared. Pain remained. Alcohol filled the silence.

By December of 2001, Dean’s life had narrowed to drinking, isolation, and attending one police funeral after another. Just three months earlier, the Twin Towers had fallen. While his fellow officers ran toward the chaos on September 11, Dean woke up late, hungover, and drowning in guilt. He still put on his uniform and reported to Ground Zero, working at “The Pile” for weeks, until he realized he wasn’t helping anymore. A Stranger Saved a Retired NYPD Officer’s Life on Christmas Eve, A Special Episode Worth Hearing. Supporting articles about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin .

Then came Christmas Eve.

That morning, Dean put his father’s revolver in one pocket and his father’s worn Bible in the other. He boarded a train at Penn Station with a one-way ticket upstate. He had already decided that once he reached his destination, his life would end. He chose a secluded place so no one would have to clean up the mess, a thought that haunted him even then.

While the train rolled north through snow-covered landscapes, a stranger sat down next to him.

Her name was Erin.

She was a chatty grandmother with a red scarf and a warm smile, exactly the kind of person Dean did not want to talk to. She spoke about the beauty of the city, the holidays, life, and love. Dean sat in silence, angry at her optimism, angry at everything. When she finally asked what he loved about New York City, his response was cold and sharp. Available for free on their website and streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and other podcast platforms.

“I love being left alone.”

Instead of snapping back or moving seats, Erin stayed. When Dean apologized, she accepted. Slowly, gently, she drew him into conversation. She shared her own story, her late husband, her children, her grandchildren. And for the first time in a long while, Dean talked about his life. About being shot. About losing his father. About feeling useless and invisible. A Stranger Saved a Retired NYPD Officer’s Life on Christmas Eve, A Special Episode

When the train reached Albany, Erin handed him a small pink note.

“I don’t know where you’re headed,” she told him, “but when you get there, read this.”

They hugged, and she was gone.

Dean continued on to Black Mountain, climbing toward Lake George with ice-capped water below. At the summit, he opened his father’s Bible. A scrap of paper fell out, marking a verse: Corinthians 10:13. To a cop, that number meant something else entirely, police code for officer needs assistance. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast episode is available for free on their website , Apple Podcasts , Spotify and most major podcast platforms.

Then he read Erin’s note:

“Dean, life is a gift meant to be shared. Don’t ever give up hope. Merry Christmas. Erin.”

In that moment, something lifted. The weight inside him eased. Dean emptied the revolver and threw it into the abyss. Then he turned around and walked back down the mountain. A Stranger Saved a Retired NYPD Officer’s Life on Christmas Eve.

That was the day a stranger saved his life.

In this special episode of the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, Dean Simpson tells his story openly, not for attention, but to reach others who may be standing on the same edge. He speaks about trauma, addiction, purpose, and recovery. He shares how the badge shaped him, how it nearly broke him, and how one unexpected act of kindness redirected his life. His interview can be found on The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and across most podcast platforms where listeners will find authentic law enforcement stories.

Dean is also the author of two books:

His story has been shared across Facebook, Instagram, and various news outlets, and is now featured in a special episode of a powerful podcast conversation. Listeners can hear Dean tell this story in his own words on Apple, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms. A Stranger Saved a Retired NYPD Officer’s Life on Christmas Eve, A Special Episode Worth Hearing. The full podcast episode is streaming now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

This is not just a story about a retired NYPD officer. It’s a reminder that you never know when a simple conversation, a shared moment, or a stranger’s kindness might save a life.

And sometimes, angels don’t have wings, they just won’t stop talking.

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Listeners can tune in on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and most every major Podcast platform and follow updates on Facebook, Instagram, and other major News outlets. You can find the show on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn, as well as read companion articles and updates on Medium, Blogspot, YouTube, and even IMDB.

You can help contribute money to make the Gunrunner Movie . The film that Hollywood won’t touch. It is about a now Retired Police Officer that was shot 6 times while investigating Gunrunning. He died 3 times during Medical treatment and was resuscitated. You can join the fight by giving a monetary “gift” to help ensure the making of his film at agunrunnerfilm.com .

Background song Hurricane is used with permission from the band Dark Horse Flyer.

You can contact John J. “Jay” Wiley by email at [email protected] , or learn more about him on their website .

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A Stranger Saved a Retired NYPD Officer’s Life on Christmas Eve, A Special Episode Worth Hearing.

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