Watch: Orphan turned NYPD officer gets touching reunion with man who inspired her

The New York Police Department has recently released a video that shows the touching reunion between an orphan who grew up to be an NYPD officer, and the officer who helped her on the day she was placed in foster care.

On May 25, NYPD Officer Sally Zheng arrived for the morning roll call before going out on patrol in New York's subway system. It was announced that NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill was going to make an announcement to the officers that day, and the officers were asked to stand by.

O'Neill stood in front of Zheng, and asked her if she knew a retired officer named Ralph Torres, and if she would like to meet him.

According to the NYPD, Zheng had to be put into foster care 20 years ago, and she said that Torres had been the only positive thing Zheng had in her life during that difficult time. She had lost track of Torres as she grew up, and when she graduated from high school, then college, she felt something was always missing because he was not there.

Zheng signed up with the NYPD, following in Torres' footsteps, hoping she too could make a difference in someone's life.

At one point, Zheng sent out a letter, hoping it would find Torres. To her luck, it did, and with O'Neill's help Torres was able to reconnect with a tearful Zheng.

"Never undervalue what you do," O'Neill told his officers as Zheng and Torres left to reconnect. "Throughout the day, and throughout your career, you never know what effect you're going to have on people."