Caring for the vulnerable

With so much legislative and political uncertainty swirling throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world, we as a society will have to step up and help the vulnerable members of our population. The good news is that there are people already doing just that.

Many of you probably heard about Chris Salvatore, who scored viral fame for taking care of Norma, his 89-year-old neighbor with leukemia. He became her primary caregiver as the woman had no relatives to care for her. Norma died in February, but she was surrounded by the love of her neighbor and many fans on social media.

Another story that received less attention involves a man with dementia who was living alone in Kentucky. Sergeant Jon Sterling did regular wellness checks on the man, and discovered that it was time for the man to be moved into a secure facility. While the man was a veteran and had social security benefits to offset the monthly charge of the facility, moving costs prompted the police officer to start an online fundraiser. The $5,000 goal was reached within 24 hours.

Two men from very different worlds reached out to help a vulnerable member of their community. Compassion is part of the human spirit just as much as some of our more negative attributes. I hope that people will be inspired by these examples to help those in need.