LUPD Officer Shows Empathy for Boy in Need During Commencement

LYNCHBURG, Va. — Liberty University Police Department Officer Nathan “Ian” Lewis has dedicated his law enforcement career to serving with empathy and compassion. Recently, he demonstrated this approach while assisting a 12-year-old boy with Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorder during the university’s commencement ceremony.

Lewis, who graduated from Liberty University in 2023, was inspired to join law enforcement after witnessing the inadequate response of the former school resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during the tragic shooting in 2018. This experience shaped his desire to support and protect others.

At the recent commencement ceremony, Josiah Swiger, the 12-year-old boy, experienced a “monumental sensory overload” due to the loud crowd. His father, Anthony Swiger, described how Josiah became overwhelmed and unable to move. Despite efforts to help him, the noise proved too much for the young boy.

Realizing the need for assistance, Josiah’s mother, Diane Swiger, called for help, bringing Lewis into the situation. He approached Josiah, aiming to comfort him by empathizing with his feelings. “Empathy, I think, goes a long way. Trying to put yourself into the shoes of somebody else,” Lewis noted.

After talking to Josiah for about an hour, Lewis offered to carry him. Josiah agreed, but moments later, he became overwhelmed again just shy of the family’s seating area. Lewis quickly borrowed a rolling drink cooler from a colleague, and Josiah eagerly hopped in, treating it like a chariot to his family.

Diane expressed gratitude for Lewis’s timely intervention, stating, “I was at a point where there was nothing I could do. I appreciate that he didn’t just downplay it and walk away.” In turn, Lewis was deeply moved by a thank-you note from Josiah’s mother, illustrating the significant impact of his actions that day.