Praise to The NYC Department of Sanitation ♥️
Los Angeles is known as the City of Angels. What is less well known is that New York City is full of angels too, and the Department of Sanitation is full of them. Here is my story.
On Saturday, August 1, 2026, I was riding a Citi Bike during the Summer Streets celebration, starting at Dyckman Street, riding down Broadway to Park Avenue, and continuing into Brooklyn. I had my iPhone mounted on the handlebars. Somewhere along the route, I looked down and noticed that my phone was gone. I panicked.
My phone was my only point of contact with the two friends I planned to spend the beautiful afternoon with. It was the only way I could contact anyone. I had no idea how or where I had lost it, and the only thing I could think to do was lock up the Citi Bike, get on the subway, and use my computer at home to search for my phone through the Find My app.
When I got off the subway and was walking home, I met the first angel who helped me, NYPD Officer Barreto from the 70th Precinct in Brooklyn . I asked him to call my phone, hoping that someone would answer. He called, and to my surprise, the second angel picked up.
It was Dana. She was with the Department of Sanitation, and she had my phone at 110th Street and Broadway. She told me that a good Samaritan had found my phone in the street and handed it to one of her sanitation colleagues. I immediately jumped back on the subway and headed downtown to pick it up.
When I arrived, I was shocked by how kind Dana and her colleagues were. None of them had to do the right thing, but every one of them did. In the past, I found someone’s suitcase in the back of a taxicab and returned it to the owner. I also found someone’s iPod and returned it. I was stunned that so many people cared enough to do the same for me.
I was thrilled and deeply grateful for the kindness everyone showed me. I asked to take a photo with them, and they graciously obliged. The names of the other's who deserve praise are Donald, Dominick, and Michael. I thank Officer Barreto and the good samaritan who found my phone on the street too. You are all heroes to me.
Zohran, I am talking to you. Please give these wonderful people the keys to New York City. They deserve recognition. It is not about the phone. It is about doing the right thing, which seems to be so rare these days. Better yet, if you can swing it, give them all a two week paid vacation in Hawaii. I mean, seriously.
Thank you to everyone who helped me. You are angels.
I Bow,
David Hunter
