It¡¯s been a rough couple of weeks ¡ 2 hurricanes slammed the continental U.S., another even stronger one devastated the archipelago of Puerto Rico.? Four major earthquakes have hit Mexico so far this month. Political upheaval and controversy reigned, not only here in the U.S. but around the globe.? We all need to look to something positive, look at those people who thumb their noses at trouble and just roll up their sleeves and get down to the business of helping others. ?Today¡¯s ¡®good people¡¯ are those who take the meaning of the word ¡®community¡¯ seriously, who believe that we are all in this together and we need to set aside differences to help one another.
Julius Hatley is 95-years-young, a World War II veteran, and lives alone in Ft. Worth, Texas.? At the beginning of summer, back in June, Mr. Hatley¡¯s central air-conditioning as well as a smaller window unit both went caput, so Mr. Hatley took to sitting out on his porch most of the time, for inside the house was unbearable.? Finally, one day Mr. Hatley knew he had to do something ¡ summer was only beginning and he was already miserable.? But what to do?? So, the only thing he could think of was to call 911, which is what he did.
¡°This wasn¡¯t a regular 911 call,¡±?according to Fort Worth Police Officer William Margolis.?¡°It was what you¡¯d label ¡®low priority¡¯ because we¡¯re not AC techs.¡±?I have to wonder if many police departments would have just written it off as a ¡®no-priority¡¯ call?? But not these guys.? Officer Margolis and his partner, Christopher Weir, after responding to a few higher priority calls that morning, went to check on Mr. Hatley. They found that he had no working air-conditioner, and at 8:30 a.m., the temperature inside his house was already 85¡ã (F), 29.4¡ã (C).
Now these guys were under no obligation, but out of the goodness of their hearts, they went to Home Depot to buy Mr. Hatley a window unit to replace his broken one.? And, just as these things so often do, their effort gained momentum when they explained to the staff at Home Depot what they were doing.? Staff and management pooled their available cash and contributed $150 toward the air conditioner!
Later that day, Officer Weir returned to Hatley¡¯s home with another Ft. Worth Officer, Steven Rebrovich, and they installed the unit.? Mr. Hatley was appreciative and excited beyond words, but the story doesn¡¯t stop there.? Once the story hit the news, the community came together in the spirit of ¡ community!? An air conditioning company replaced his central air free of charge, and others took care of replacing his windows and re-painting his house!? Other members of the community check on Mr. Hatley and deliver groceries every week!? This, friends, is what being a community is about.? This is what being a human is all about.? Let us all give two thumbs up to Officers Weir and Margolis, certainly, but to ALL those who have come to help Mr. Hatley!?
