Kathleen Thomas, 36 years old, was driving in Lake Worth, Florida, in February when a Palm Beach Sheriff's Office officer stopped her. The officer accused her of using her right hand to operate her phone while driving.

"No, officer," Thomas replied with a laugh, raising her right arm, which is missing a hand. She initially thought it was a misunderstanding, but the officer was serious about the accusation, reiterating that she "used her hand to operate the phone."

The officer then asked her to raise her right hand and swear to God that she was not using her phone while driving.

"At that moment, I just acted normally and raised my hand to swear to God. He didn't accept it as a qualified hand to swear to God, which is ironic because God is the one who gave me this form," Thomas, who was born without her lower right arm, shared on 28/5.

In most US states, individuals with one hand or missing a limb can legally obtain a driver's license after undergoing medical evaluations and practical tests. Their licenses often include "restrictions," such as requiring drivers with one hand to operate automatic vehicles.

Kathleen Thomas was stopped and ticketed for using a phone in February. Video: CBS

"He continued to ask me to raise my left hand, like, 'Okay.' Later, when I reviewed the video from the officer's body camera and reflected on it, I immediately realized how upset I was," she recounted.

The officer still issued her a ticket for holding a phone while driving.

The video Thomas shared on social media garnered millions of views. She intended to file a court complaint on 27/5, but the officer proactively requested the ticket be canceled.

"He realized, whether through social media or self-reflection, that, 'Hey, maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe I didn't handle this correctly,'" Thomas said. "He chose not to pursue the case in court, for which I am very grateful."

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) stated the officer "conducted the stop based on visual observation at the time of the incident." The ticket was canceled after reviewing state regulations and "based on the entire context of the incident, particularly due to the lack of clarity in how violations are categorized in our reporting software."

The agency declared, "PBSO is always committed to upholding professionalism, fairness, and enforcing Florida state law."

Despite the ticket cancellation, the process significantly affected Thomas's life. She spent time requesting police camera data and responding to online court questioning.

"I was born this way. It will never change. I will never be able to hold a phone while driving," she stated. "What I really want people to take away from this is: limb differences are normal. Someone looking different from you is also normal. All of those things are normal. Normal is whatever form you feel most comfortable being yourself in."

Thomas believes the officer did not "approach me with malicious intent," but he likely lacked training for such a situation. If she could speak with the officer again, she would ask him why he reacted that way and why the conversation became so tense.

Hong Hanh (According to CBS)