Some people in the world truly embody the meaning of selflessness, and Mrs. Ann is one of them.
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She was driving down Highway 59 in Baldwin County, Alabama, when she noticed a family with three children walking on the side of the road. Countless cars passed by the exhausted group, but Mrs. Ann chose to stop.
Although they were a bit apprehensive at first, the family quickly warmed up to this kind stranger. They were trying to get to Texas from central Florida, but along the way, their car broke down and left them stranded in Alabama. Without hesitation, Mrs. Ann offered to give them a ride.
There was just one problem: The five of them and their belongings couldn’t fit in her car. This was nothing for Mrs. Ann, who simply flagged down a man in a truck. She told him she needed help driving the family to the International Pensacola Airport, which was about 49 miles away in Florida. His response? “Yes, ma’am.”
Once all seven of them arrived at the airport, Mrs. Ann purchased the entire family their airline tickets to Texas. If you’ve ever bought a single ticket, you’ll understand just how big of a deal that was.
At this point, you’d think Mrs. Ann would have gone home and that’s where the story would end… but you’d only be half right. She did go back home to Alabama, but once she arrived, she couldn’t stop thinking about the family’s luggage. Or rather, their lack thereof. They’d been carrying their belongings in sacks and boxes held together by duct tape.
Instead of letting it go, Mrs. Ann made the 49-mile trek back to Pensacola, where she gave the family all new suitcases.
Word quickly spread of the unbelievably generous woman at the International Pensacola Airport. When Officer Tony Garza caught wind of the story, he found it to be so incredible that he had to verify the details to make sure they were all true. They were, of course, which left him totally speechless – and determined to give Mrs. Ann a small token of appreciation for all she had done!
Thankfully, they were able to track her down just before she left the airport. Through a program the local officers had started a few years ago called “Police Navidad,” they gifted Mrs. Ann a $50 gift card.
“Obviously, this does not even begin to cover Ann’s expenses. It’s not meant to and Ann would never hear of it,” the Pensacola Police Department wrote on Facebook. “But it does give us an opportunity to tell you about Ann and others that show everyday kindness and empathy.”
The officers snapped a quick photo with the hero and her gift card, and then it was finally time for her to go home… right after she tried giving the gift card away, of course.
Since Mrs. Ann’s story has gone viral on Facebook, countless people have been praising her for her kindness. While she’s appreciative, one part of the story bothered her: She didn’t think the man in the truck got enough attention. So she called the officers, who got in contact with John, the other Good Samaritan in this story who embodies the meaning of selflessness.
John’s schedule was packed the day Mrs. Ann asked for his help. His to-do list was a mile long, and he needed to pick up his brother Austin from his first day at a new job. He didn’t have time to make a 49-mile trip to Florida, but he stopped anyway.
Last Christmas, John was homeless, so he understands what it’s like to desperately need someone to give you a hand. So without hesitation, he picked up Austin (who was also happy to join in) and chose to help total strangers with no intention of being rewarded for it. But Mrs. Ann never stops giving and offered to take both siblings to dinner.
“The three of them are best buds now,” the police department wrote. “Ann is coming to Austin’s baby’s gender reveal this weekend. They have little in common except for the overwhelming need to help others.”
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