A heartwarming video of a municipal street sweeper from Turkey has once again gone viral on social media after he paused his work to gently pet a stray cat.

The touching moment won the hearts of millions of people last year, but the beloved worker’s story sadly came to a tragic end just a few months ago.

The video was filmed in September 2025 in the Turkish town of Bor, in Niğde Province, after a local resident happened to notice the scene through the window of his apartment and recorded it on his phone.

Within days, the clip spread across social media platforms and touched viewers around the world.

He spotted a stray cat and forgot about everything else
At the end of last year, Nevruz Özkan became an internet sensation after he noticed a stray cat while sweeping the streets. Without hesitation, he set his broom aside, walked over to the animal, gently stroked it, and quietly spoke to it.

Although he was in the middle of his workday, he took a few moments for a simple act of kindness that deeply moved millions of people. The authenticity of the moment quickly made the video go viral, with many users commenting that gestures like this restore faith in humanity.

He cared for stray animals every single day
It later emerged that this was far from a one-time event. In interviews, Nevruz explained that caring for stray animals had long been part of his daily routine.

He always carried dry pet food in the pockets of his green work uniform for stray cats and dogs. The animals had grown so familiar with him that many would wait for him along his route, knowing he would feed them or simply spend a few moments showing them affection.