Ottawa Detective Steve Lewis welcomes grieving couple from Northern Ireland into his home

A compassionate detective recently welcomed grieving strangers from Northern Ireland into his home.

On Jan. 26, his last day with Ottawa's central district investigation unit, Detective Steve Lewis investigated the death of 75-year-old Irene Jorgensen, who died of natural causes in her apartment.

While Lewis was in the apartment, Jorgensen's brother, Dan Moore, called from Northern Ireland, worried that he hadn't been able to reach his older sister for days. Lewis then gently broke the news of Moore's sister's death.

When Moore and his wife, Carmel, arrived in Ottawa a few days later, they had nowhere to stay. Jorgensen's apartment was in too great "a state of disarray" that the couple had to leave.

So they called the only person they "knew": Lewis.

The detective invited the strangers to stay with him and his wife.

"For him to bring strangers to his home at eight o’clock at night, that’s unbelievable," Carmel told the Ottawa Citizen.

The Moores only stayed one night — they moved into a hotel the next day, despite an offer from Lewis' wife to stay longer — but were still invited for dinner at Lewis' home every night. On the days they didn't visit, Lewis visited them.

Lewis and his wife even invited the Irish couple over for an extended family dinner on Sunday — and had them stay for the Super Bowl.

The Moores told the Ottawa Citizen that the Lewis family's hospitality was "unbelievable."

"He's a gem," Moore said of Lewis earlier this week before returning home. "He's a star in the police force."