Carmen Rivera was working at a Dollar Tree in Madera, California, when she was punched by a customer multiple times. The hits left big bruises on her face and chest.

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“The victim did very well,” said Sgt. Dan Foss with the Madera Police Department. “Just tried to keep the peace, and unfortunately when she did that, she was hit in the face.”

When the officers learned Rivera was getting married over the weekend, they pooled money together to hire an airbrush makeup artist to conceal her bruises. Rivera says she is grateful and surprised at their generosity.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez