Kind Texas Cops Feed 92-Year-Old Woman with Icy Hands, She Said Her Two Sons Forgot about Her
Kindness is a heartwarming emotion that stems from a place of genuine love and care. We never know what someone might be experiencing; sometimes, even the smallest gestures can have the most significant impact. An older woman underwent something similar, thanks to two police officers.
Human connections aren't always based on blood ties; we can often share the most profound bonds with our friends, colleagues, and neighbors. A supportive community can make a world of difference in people's lives, mainly for those new to the neighborhood or living alone.
While warm-hearted, attentive, and caring neighbors are hard to come by, an elderly lady was fortunate to live in an area where people looked out for her. And because of these Good Samaritans and their watchfulness, her life changed for the best.
The Vigilant Neighbors
One day in 2020, a family from Houston, Texas, noticed their elderly neighbor, Ms. Tina, wandering alone outside. They immediately became concerned because she lived alone and suffered from dementia.
Over time, the Facebook post went viral and eventually caught the attention of the senior citizen's family.
The neighbors said they sometimes saw her walking up and down the road, and due to her condition, she was clueless regarding her whereabouts. At times, she thought she was locked out, forgetting her door was open.
Answering the 911 Call
According to the neighbors, Ms. Tina's hands were freezing cold, so they invited her inside and let her warm up. But knowing that she had no food in her home and nobody to take care of her, something tugged at their heartstrings, and they decided to call for help.
Soon afterward, two police officers responded to the 911 call and showed up at the senior citizen's place as a part of their welfare check. To their dismay, the 92-year-old woman had an empty fridge with only milk and some old lemonade, and her house hadn't been cleaned recently.
Her hands were "ice cold," and she was eating from a pack of Cheerios that appeared to be the only food item sustaining her. Upon talking to the lady, the cops discovered that she had two sons who had forgotten about her, and all she wanted to know was why they didn't visit her or bring her food.
The Cops Didn't Return Empty-Handed
When the officers asked Ms. Tina what she would like to have, she told them a few sandwiches would be enough to keep her from starving. Without telling her, the cops sneaked out and went to a supermarket.
When they returned, they held bags filled with grocery items containing "big rotisserie chicken, some sandwich items to last a week or 2, some chunky soups, bunch of chips and meat, some waters (sic)."
As soon as Ms. Tina answered the door and saw the shopping bags, she couldn't stop smiling and staring in disbelief out of sheer gratitude. One of the officers, Marquis Hines, related the touching incident on Facebook on March 6, 2020. A part of the caption read:
"Not always about running and gunning catching bad guys. Sometimes just showing someone they aren't alone can change their lives (sic)."
Going One Step Ahead
Officer Hines and his fellow cop, Nuno Junior, flashed big smiles as they clicked a sweet picture with the older woman. "Like I said from day one, 'changing lives one smile at a time,'" added Hines.
Astonishingly enough, helping Ms. Tina wasn't a one-time job for the two cops. Officer Hines went the extra mile by creating an online fundraiser to give her the support, care, and attention she deserved. Over time, the Facebook post went viral and eventually caught the attention of the senior citizen's family.
The cops learned that they had misunderstood the events based on their conversation with Ms. Tina, who had dementia. After talking to her family, they discovered that her sons had not abandoned her and were actually working diligently to find her a nursing home.
Their Efforts Paid Off
In a subsequent update posted in May 2020, Officer Hines revealed that Ms. Tina had finally found an assisted home for older people and was safe and sound. He also thanked everyone for coming together and donating generously to the crowdfunding effort. Hines expressed:
"[Ms. Tina's] family will not have to wonder if she is doing anything that may put herself in danger due to her dementia. I can't thank everyone enough for coming together during this crazy time and helping her out."
Praise from the Netizens
The Texas officer's initial Facebook post amassed an overwhelming response from netizens far and wide. As of December 19, 2022, it had racked up 262k reactions, 157k shares, and 81 comments:
"I love it! Making positive difference in people's lives."
— (@chandolyn.whitley) March 6, 2020
"One smile at a time!"
— (@glend8907) March 6, 2020
"Thanks for making me cry. Y'all are awesome (sic)."
— (@Hollablacknat7) March 6, 2020
"This is dope bro!!!! Proud of the work you're doing in the community (sic)."
— (@jamele.masonvegas) March 6, 2020
"Good job buddy! Proud of you. Community Policing and advocating for those who need it most."
— (@bscurtis1977) March 6, 2020
This heartwarming story shows that it's never too late to lend a helping hand and look out for one another. Undoubtedly, random gestures of kindness and love can brighten people's lives and inspire a chain reaction of positivity.
Please share this uplifting story with your family and friends and show some love to the kind-hearted cops on Facebook. Click here to read another story about a mom-of-four who was surprised when her kind landlord decided to forego rent and left bags of groceries on her porch.