UKRAINIAN VILLAGE — An elementary school physical education teacher is giving a big "thank you" to a Chicago Police officer who came to her rescue when a pedal broke off her bike in the cold and she risked being late.
Officer John Lambert had initially driven past Tracy Roessner, who was stranded with her bike because of the broken pedal.
In an email sent Wednesday to Lambert's boss, Cmdr. Ed Kulbida, Roessner wrote that when she first saw a squad car go by, she wondered if it would even be okay to ask for a lift.
Roessner was halfway to St. Helen's School on her two-mile commute and with no other way to get to the school, 2347 W. Augusta Blvd., and unable to fix the pedal, Roessner said she decided to jog while pulling her bike in the snow.
"It wouldn't be pretty and my feet would not be happy but I hate being late so I did what I had to do," Roessner said.
Then, while running with her bike down Wood Street, just south of Chicago Avenue, Roessner said she saw what looked like the same police car, now parked on the street.
Roessner described seeing the police car again as "a sign." By then she had just 20 minutes to get to work.
"You never know unless you ask. I gave it a shot and was thrilled by the response," Roessner wrote to Kulbida. "Officer Lambert rolled his window down and did not hesitate when I asked him. I shoved my bike in the back seat and he so graciously drove me to St Helen School on Augusta and Western."
"Not only was I thankful that I didn't get hurt when the pedal broke, I was and will forever be extremely grateful for Officer Lambert's kindness. I arrived at school safe, warm, on time and in style thanks to him. With all of the police bashing going on I am spreading the word about awesome Officer Lambert. It's a rough thankless job and I am just so appreciative of the team in blue! That was a class act move!" Roessner said.
Lambert could not be reached for comment on Thursday or Friday and Kulbida did not return requests for comment. Roessner said she also mailed a handwritten thank you note to the Near West Police District station, addressed to Lambert.
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