A blind elderly woman was walking alone when a teen boy suddenly spotted her on the sidewalk. Luckily, a bystander was there to capture the young man’s next move on camera, which came as a total surprise to the teen.
At a busy intersection in College Hill, Ohio, an elderly woman was trying to cross the street when she was nearly hit by traffic. She had been pulled back to the sidewalk by a man who was passing by, likely saving her life. However, she was still needing to get across the intersection.
Realizing that she was blind, a pair of teens waiting nearby moved closer to the lone woman. Not realizing anyone was watching, they approached the elderly woman. What they did next left one spectator utterly astounded.
Without hesitation, 15-year-old Dontarius Caldwell gently greeted the blind woman and asked if he could help her cross the street when the signal was activated. He then clasped her hand and slowly led her over the crosswalk, ensuring that she made it safely to the other side and was on her way.
It was his younger sister, Dyamond, who had urged Dontarius to help the woman. Of course, neither of the teens expected that someone would capture their kind deed on camera and share it on social media, causing it to go viral, WLWT reported.
“I told Dontarius that I think she blind, you should get up and go help her, and he got up and went to go help her cross the street two times while I waited for the bus to come,” Diamond recalled.
“I said, ‘Ma’am do you need some help?’ And she said, ‘Yes.’ She gave me her hand and I held it,” Dontarius said.
Mike Garibay shared the photo of Dontarius assisting the woman across the street. His candid photo garnered thousands of shares, prompting news outlets to contact the teen about his selfless act.
“Just thought man that is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. When they stopped at that corner. I had to take a picture,” Garibay said.
Garibay caught the teens off-guard. In fact, they didn’t even know their good deed had been seen until others informed them that his picture was all over the internet.
“I was just trying to help. I really didn’t think I would be on camera,” he said. “I was just helping the elderly, giving a helping hand. The key word is helping hand. Everybody gotta get a helping hand.”
Dontarius’ mother, Sheena Ferrell, was beaming with pride when she discovered what her son had done. She wasn’t surprised in the slightest that he would go out of his way to help a stranger in need, FOX19 reported.
“A friend of mine had shared it and I was like, ‘That looks like my son!’ and I was like, ‘That is my baby!’ I’m just really proud and excited,” Ferrell said. “He’s always willing to help. He’s such a good kid. I just love him so much.”
Dontarius isn’t phased by the recognition. In fact, he said kindness and helping others are simply a lifestyle for the teen. After the encounter, Dontarius and Dyamond said they decided to wait each day at the same intersection in case the elderly woman needed help crossing again.
“If you be kind, what happens (to them) happens to you,” he said.
After Dontarius Caldwell’s school was notified of his act, they publicly recognized the teen’s deed and gifted him with several school hoodies and a supply of his favorite candies. Of course, he gladly shared the rewards with his younger sister.
Although his simple act of kindness seems insignificant, it is becoming increasingly rare these days. In a world that relentlessly encourages us to look out for only ourselves, it’s inspiring to see young people who are concerned for the most vulnerable in society.
