When is the last time you went out of your way to help someone you didn’t know? In today’s individualistic society, most of us are so super busy and involved with our own lives that even saying hello to someone walking by on the street would feel kind of weird.
That’s why when Jillian Hamm of Colorado saw a young man with Down syndrome randomly standing outside her neighbor’s house, no one would have blamed her if she just ignored the situation.
However, for Jillian, it was clear that something wasn’t right. Jillian elaborated on the story in a post she shared on Facebook.
The first red flag was that is was freezing outside, and the man was not prepared at all for the weather.
“It was about 30 degrees outside today and he wasn’t dressed appropriately,” Jillian said.
While most of us probably wouldn’t have paid the man much attention and just went on with our day, as usual, Jillian is not like most. In fact, as a behavioral analyst for the Behavior Services of the Rockies, she has already devoted much of her life towards helping others. Her main focus has been on assisting individuals with special needs. For this reason, she was probably more cognizant of the situation than most would be.
Realizing something was up, she approached the man and began to ask him some questions to see if he was alright.
“I asked him tons of questions and tried to call all the phone numbers in his phone, to no avail.”
It was obvious that the man was very confused. He couldn’t explain what he was doing or why he was there.
Jillian could tell the man needed help, so she decided to call the police.
In the meantime, she offered him some water and snacks while they were waiting for officers to arrive. The thirsty man drank four cups!
After, she invited him into her house so that he could get out of the cold. At first, the man said no, and Jillian was very pleased. Not because she wanted the man to stay outside, but because she had always taught people who she works with to be careful around strangers. After all, you never know what someone’s intentions might be.
“I always teach my clients, don’t go inside a strangers house,” she said.
After an officer arrived, it quickly became apparent that the man had to go to the bathroom too, and with the police officer there, he finally felt safe enough to enter.
The man made himself at home, and when he saw an Xbox gaming system in the room, Jillian asked him if he wanted to play.
Of course, he jumped at the opportunity. Then she heated up his lunch that he had been carrying so he could get some food in him. While the man ate and played Xbox, the officer worked to figure out what to do.
They eventually discovered that he had taken a bus without permission in an attempt to go to a friend’s house. When he accidentally got the address wrong, he ended up outside Jillian’s neighbor’s, lost and confused.
The officer safely transported the young man back to his home.
Jillian finished the Facebook post with an inspiring message:
“I’m SOOOO thankful I saw him. It was so cold today and if I hadn’t talked to him at that moment, I worry he would have left my apartment complex and not been able to get back home. Don’t be afraid to approach people with disabilities if you feel something isn’t right!!!!!! You could be saving their life!”
If it wasn’t for Jillian’s small act of kindness checking in on the man to see if he was okay, who knows what would have happened. It is likely she saved a life that day with her thoughtful actions.
In today’s impersonal society, full of mistrust, we could definitely use more kind-hearted people like her!
See Jillian’s original Facebook post below.
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