This story serves as a reminder of the value of community and the strength of empathy.
Meet Elijah
Elijah Champion is a local high school freshman from the small town of Nederland.
Resilient Teen
One day, he had just come from Market Basket on Nederland Avenue, where he picked up a job application when he came across a bothering sight.
Different Route
Instead of taking his usual path home, he decided to walk down to Family Dollar.
Man In Distress
While he was walking, he found an older man in distress on the side of the road. He said, “When I found him, he was lying on the side of the road with his bottom half in the grass and his top half in the road itself.”
Struggles Of Aging
As it turned out, the man was stranded right there 1.5 miles from his house because his hips had failed him while he was on his way home as well.
He Sought Help
Elijah couldn’t not do something. He knocked on people’s doors in the neighborhood to ask for help for the lost man. He had to knock on around fifteen doors before he found someone who was willing to help.
A Breath Of Relief
Elijah said, “I felt relieved and surprised at the same time because I knew that if I tried hard enough, I would find someone who would help… It was disappointing just to see how many people wouldn’t help another human being.”
He’s Grateful
The man Elijah helped, who preferred to stay anonymous, was immensely grateful for the teen’s quick thinking and compassion. He said, “I was impressed with that young man. I mean he actually walked down two or three blocks down the road, got someone to help me. It’s the good lord looking after me. Nice to know that there’s still people out there that will help you.”
Watch how Elijah literally went out of his way to help an elderly man in need in the video below.
Watch Video Here:
