Mothers don’t get nearly enough credit for everything they do, and while it should be unthinkable to be rude or unpleasant to a mother, that’s sadly not something everyone learns. Empathy has to be taught, and a lot of people just seem to lack it. The result is usually horrible.
Why people think it’s okay to mistreat others and make them feel horrible is anyone’s guess.
There are a lot of reasons, sure. But none of them make it okay.
It’s worse when the person on the receiving end of it has to take care of other people too.
Which brings us to this story. A pair of Dallas officers, Reneeshia McIntyre and Delia Pesina, happened to be answering a call in an apartment complex when their paths crossed with a 2-year old.
Crossing paths turned into hello, and hello turned into a bit of conversation. Though the conversation did not go the way either of them were expecting.
Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary on this day – at least for 2020 standards. It was when the 2-year old began talking more that the pieces of this really sad puzzle started falling into place.
As the details unfolded, the less happy things got. Her mother escaped an abusive relationship, which led her to where they are now. Living with 6 kids under the age of 11, in a barely-livable apartment.
The pair of officers went to her apartment to have a look, and the absolute state of things was heartbreaking to see.
She had no one else to help look after her kids, and the conditions of her apartment seemed to reflect her experiences and probably her mental health too. None of this is her fault, obviously. She’s been through a lot and doesn’t deserve this.
“We kinda read each other’s minds, you know when you’re partners for so long? And when we were leaving I said ‘So we’re coming back, aren’t we?” – says Officer Delia Pesina
The apartment was so devoid of essentials that Reneeshia and Delia deduced that they had just moved in. Still, this was no place for a mother of 6 to live in. Thankfully, she’d receive help real soon.
“She literally was washing a styrofoam plate.” – officer McIntyre describing the extent that this mother was struggling
Officers McIntyre and Pesina had her on their minds, even back at their stations. When they signed up for this job, they signed up to help anyone. No exceptions.
And they followed through on that goal. They shared the word about the struggling woman with the other officers. A collective donating soon followed, with all the officers pitching in what they could to get this woman actual beds, some decent furniture and mattresses among others.
They didn’t just donate either. They gave her home a bit of a renovation too. There’s no such thing as getting too much help, and there was zero hesitation from any of the officers too.
Pretty soon, the apartment had finally become a place worthy of being called home.
With a bed, furniture, and actual plates that weren’t made of styrofoam anymore, they’d given her a place she and her kids could be safe in. And it’s all thanks to a chance encounter that two of the officers had with her 2-year old.
“When we told the children ‘This is where you’re gonna be sleeping”, the excitement on their faces was…it was so heartfelt. We were touched and had to hold back tears.”
And just to make sure they don’t go hungry either, the officers also got together and bought them $250 worth of food and snacks. Because you know, kids love snacks.
This instinctive, no-hesitation act of generosity and kindness gets me all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it, and it probably puts everyone’s hearts to rest knowing that her children have a bed to sleep on at night.
To protect and serve doesn’t always require handcuffs and a badge. Most of the time, all it requires is to have your heart above all else and the courage needed to follow its lead. These two female officers were a godsend to this woman, and it’s a much needed positive change of scenery amidst all the chaos 2020 has laid down.
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