Living by yourself and taking care of a household isn’t easy, especially when you’re 79-years-old and stretched thin as it is.
Fortunately, there are a lot of good people out there who recognize the value of protecting and serving our elderly.
This heartwarming story took place in January 2016, but it’s so nice that I thought I’d share here now. It’s about a group of caring police officers in Tennessee who took money out of their own pockets and put aside time to help a 79-year-old man who needed a leg up.
Their great gesture deserves respect. It’s also an important reminder of what a fantastic job many police officers do every day.
It all started with a call to the local police station in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee.
The caller was an elderly man in the area. He had a simple, yet vital request that captured the attentions of the station within minutes.
He asked if some officers could bring food to his apartment.
The man had lived for a long time in the small town of Mount Pleasant, located on the edge of Appalachia. The town is a scenic traditional village with as few as 5,000 inhabitants.
The people who live there depend on each other for support, and this situation proved just how strong the bonded community is.
The 79-year-old told police that he hadn’t eaten anything for days, and he had no means of changing that. Unfortunately, the man had been robbed of his bank card by a former caregiver and couldn’t go out on his own in the harsh winter. It’s unclear whether he has any family in the area, or if they were also trapped inside their homes as a result of the weather.
In any case the old man had no one to turn to, and so he called the police. Luckily for him, they were more than happy to help.
Besides fighting crime in the community, Mount Pleasant’s police department is involved in everything from supporting sports teams to campaigning for safety on the roads. And, like in many other small towns, the officers’ faces are familiar to most people. Most likely, this was why the 79-year-old called the station in the first place.
Officers Protect And ServeTonight an elderly Mt. Pleasant man called the Mount Pleasant dispatch. He told the…
Posted by Tennessee River Valley News on Saturday, January 9, 2016
According to reports, the officers bought enough food to fill the old man’s pantry for a month.
Four policemen took around $160 out of their own pockets, went to the store, and packed the fridge full of food.
It turned out to be even more significant than they could have known. Just a few days later, another heavy snowstorm struck the town.
https://www.facebook.com/mount.police/photos/a.680518088741512.1073741826.680518025408185/740464132746907/?type=3
Meanwhile, the police department wanted to do something to help the 79-year-old in the long term. Officers there started a food pantry at the station just in case something like this happened again. They were also able to track down and arrest the caregiver who robbed the elderly man and took his bank card initially. What good cops they are!
If you also think these fine officers deserve a big pat on the back for their efforts, please share this article to spread the word!
