Tweet from California Highway Patrol Helps Nuns Get New Van

You could say it was all part of a plan. 

When a van belonging to a group of nuns broke down during the middle of rush hour traffic on the 605 Freeway near Santa Fe Springs, California, last April, they prayed and called 911 for some help.

Five sisters from the Carmelite Sisters of Santa Teresita in Duarte and a visiting priest from India they had just picked up from LAX were still inside the 19-year-old van while it was sitting on the side of the freeway. 

"It was because of the officers that we were taken to safety actually because didn't know what to do," Sister Michelle told NBC 4 LA.

Fortunately, California Highway Patrol officer Dean Warren quickly arrived to help push the sisters' van off the freeway using his cruiser. 

"Sister Michelle did an outstanding job because that's a heavy car, and an old heavy car and I pushed her about a mile," Warren said.

Warren asked Sister Michelle if he and another officer who arrived to help out could take some photos. After the selfies went viral after being tweeted out by the CHP Santa Fe Springs office, dozens of donors lined up to raise money and help the sisters buy a brand new Dodge Caravan para-transit vehicle.

Officer Jeremy Tolen, who took the photo, was happy the power of social media was able to help the convent of nuns out. 

"My first thought was, 'Why don't we use this social media as a tool for positive, a tool for good and help the sisters out?'" Tolen said. 

The nuns brought their brand new ride over to the Santa Fe Springs station along with some lunch on Wednesday to say thank you to the officers. 

"It's nice to be recognized and to see that what we did made a difference," Warren said. "Plus we get a good lunch out of it!"

Photo: CHP Santa Fe Springs