When Mick Myers was two years old, he fell ill and was forced to a life-saving surgery. Unfortunately, the young boys’s health didn’t improve post-surgery – in fact, it deteriorated.
His family situation was also bad. Mick’s mom had three children to take care of at the time – she was young and lacked financial security.
So she simply couldn’t provide the care the boy needed, leading to a heart-wrenching decision…
When Mick Myers was a young boy, his mother had to make the difficult choice to put him up for adoption. Fortunately, she had a friend willing to step in as Mick’s adoptive parent.
But life didn’t turn out as planned for Mick. As you can see, his childhood was chaotic and his turbulent upbringing would shape significant parts of his life. For 30 years, Mick was homeless and roamed around on the streets of California with nothing and no one.
But in 2018, a significant turning point was about to unfold after his unexpected encounter with Jacob Swalwell, a police officer in Alameda, California.
Jacob had noticed Mick for a long time, because the worn-out Mick was often seen panhandling on the streets. He had warned Mick several times to stop – but this time he ordered him into his police cruiser, an action that would prove to be a turning point in both their lives.
Unbeknownst to both of them at the time, the had an ordinary conversation that would go on to have a profound and transformative effect on Mick’s life.
”I asked him what’s it going to take to get you off the street because at that point I realized me writing him a citation, it’s not going to help him at all,” Swalwell told CBS.
”When I got closer, I realized he was a senior citizen.”
As part of standard procedure, Swalwell asked Mick for identification, but to his surprise, Mick claimed to have none. The officer found it difficult to believe him.
Determined to help Mick, the cop took it upon himself to assist him in obtaining an ID card. However, despite Swalwell’s access to resources within the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department, it proved to be a challenging process.
All in all, it took Mick three separate trips to the DMV before he could finally obtain his identification card. But with a new ID card, Mick gained access to the federal pension system. And that was just the beginning…
When Miracle Messages, an organization dedicated to reuniting homeless individuals with their biological families, heard about Mick’s story, they sprang into action.
Through the dedicated efforts of volunteer Mark Askins and police officer Jacob Swalwell, they managed to locate Mick’s biological mother in the city of Eureka, 400 miles away. Together, they orchestrated a long-awaited reunion between Mick and his 85-year-old biological mother, Polly, after a staggering 65 years apart.
The once homeless and lonely man now not only possesses an ID card but also has reconnected with his long-lost family.
”I feel a sadness that he’s had to go through this, to feel so alone. But at the same time, I’m proud of him because no matter what happened, like me, he’s a survivor,” Polly said, as reported by CBS News.
Polly didn’t have an easy life either, but she extended an invitation to Mick to move into her house in Eureka. However, Mick hesitated to leave a place where he had spent his entire life.
Nevertheless, he remains determined to maintain contact with Polly and visit her as often as possible. The fact that he has been reunited with his mother is still something he struggles to fully comprehend.
Unfortunately, there are many who have experienced stories similar to Mick’s. However, the compassion shown by both the police officer and the homeless organization leaves no one untouched. The incredible consequences that stemmed from a simple question about an ID card are truly remarkable.
Now, we hope that Mick and Polly take care of each other. Please feel free to share this article on Facebook!
