Amid escalating tensions between police and urban communities around the country, police in St. Louis are trying a new way to cool things down: give out free ice cream.
With an adorable catch phrase—”To protect and serve ice cream”—and a precious blue ice cream truck, the St. Louis PD is driving around the city this summer, mending bridges.
"This is the way we help ease those tensions, ease those concerns," St. Louis police chief Sam Dotson told KTVI. "Be in the neighborhoods, making friendships, talking to people, leaving a lasting impression."
Dotson is the chief who publicly distanced himself from the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, following the police shooting of Michael Brown. He declined to send his own officers to assist with the riots, saying, "My gut told me what I was seeing were not tactics that I would use in the city and I would never put officers in situations that I would not do myself."
The St. Louis ice cream truck, clocking in with a price tag of $16,000, was paid for with private donations and gifted to the department last month. It was stocked with 6,000 ice cream treats, provided by a local dairy and supermarket.
The St. Louis approach is indicative of a progressive mini-trend in certain municipalities, following a spate of racially tinged police-civilian violence (Baton Rouge, Falcon Ridge, Dallas, etc.) Instead of clashing with citizens and going on the defense, some police departments are extending olive branches. In Wichita, for instance, police collaborated with Black Lives Matter activists to throw a wildly successful cookout earlier this summer.
Ice cream specifically keeps popping up in community policing tactics around the country. Police in Halifax, Va. recently made a semi-viral video, with white officers handing out ice cream to black motorists on traffic stops. And Operation Hoodsie Cup—named for a New England dairy treat—has been operating in Boston for years (and was the inspiration for the St. Louis initiative).
Ice cream is certainly no cure-all, but when police tensions have gotten so ugly in recent weeks, it’s nice to have a sweet scoop like this one.
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Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.