We can all say that life is unpredictable, and it’s amazing when you see a kind gesture right in front of your eyes. One woman was shopping in a store when she saw that kind deed being performed right before her eyes. So, she took out her phone and snapped a photo of that moment.
The story behind that photo was what made the protagonist famous. Let’s learn more about the teenager that drew everyone’s attention!
For Izayah Edwards, this was just a normal day at his workplace. As a bagger at Jewel-Osco, he may not have a good salary, but it was better than nothing.
Little did he know he’d become a hero that day…
Izayah is one of the many teens that are going through a rough time. Between going to school and work, he had no free time.
He didn’t even have a social media account, in a time when most teens of his age do. This is why he didn’t even know that he’d become famous overnight!
It’s unfortunate that so many elderly these days struggle to pay for their bills and food, not to mention all the drugs or treatments they need to pay.
This is a reality not all young people know about, Izayah would soon see it on his own.
The grandma he was about to meet was heading towards the grocery store. We all know that even if we make a shopping list, we sometimes remember we need to buy extra items.
The same happened to this elderly customer.
With the little money she has, the old woman headed towards the cashier.
She thought she would have the right amount for her grocery bill… But as the cashier scanned the products, she grew embarrassed.
She took a better look through her bag, searching for some lost dollar bills and change.
However, she was missing $20 from the entire $150 bill and she knew she had to let go of some products.
Looking through the items she had put in the cart, she was trying to think fast of what to return so she could reach $130.
Nonetheless, the teen bagger in front of her had another plan!
Right behind the teen bagger and the woman, another customer by the name of Suzanne Dee, noticed the small commotion.
She took out her phone, not knowing what to expect.
Suzanne understood what was going on and when she realized what the young bagger did, tears formed into her eyes.
She snapped a photo and later, she started writing a heartwarming post on social media about what she had witnessed…
We all know that since the pandemic started, everyone around the world has had various coping mechanisms during lockdowns.
Suzanne said she had lost hope in humanity, but this moment made her think that there are “still heroes.” Here’s what she wrote in the photo she took at the store.
In the photo she shared on Facebook, Suzanne wrote that she was in line at the Crown Point Jewel-Osco when she saw this. “I had been thinking crabby thoughts about humanity just before I spotted this young man, who was bagging groceries, pull out his wallet to pay the remainder of a customer’s bill when she said she didn’t have enough.
See? There are still heroes.”
The woman’s photo of Izayah and the elderly customer got viral in an instant! It got over 1,000 reactions, nearly 3,000 shares and a lot of comments.
People reached out and talked about this amazing young man…
“Aw! This warms my heart. This young man was taught to be a part of the solution.
Thanks for sharing the good stuff happening in our world today. What a real breath of fresh air,” wrote someone. Then, Suzanne got a comment from a woman, telling her something about the elderly customer!
The woman commented on Suzanne’s post, saying that “this lady is my grandma! This is such a blessing!” “She is struggling so much medically and is on a strict budget.
I am so sure that she appreciates it more than this young man knows,” she added. But this was only the beginning…
Izayah was an inspiration to everyone who saw that, even with a low income as a bagger, the teen was still willing to sacrifice himself so that others in need could put food on the table. The news reached the state Rep.
Lisa Beck, who decided to reward the young man!
In a story reported by NWI Times about Izayah’s selfless deed, Rep. Lisa Beck said the young man was “inspiration.” She wanted to honor him at a ceremony where Crown Point’s mayor was also invited.
Here’s what Izayah said.
“What inspired me is that I felt really bad with everything going on with the pandemic and all the negative things in the world,” said Izayah. “This was a little moment in the day where I could show that someone out there really did care,” he added.
Then, he learned just how much hearts he touched through his gesture…
Izayah even became a local celebrity! That’s when we learned that the teen is in his senior years at Merrillville High School.
He is looking for a scholarship to attend college and study medical school. He hopes to become a pediatrician!
Izayah Edwards’ kind gesture wasn’t going to go unnoticed! Rep.
Lisa Beck invited Crown Point Mayor Dave Uran, Cafe Fresco owner and Community Love representative Breanna Zolfo, local 881 UFCW representative Anthony Malito and local Jewel-Osco and Jewel Corporate office representatives. Together, they were there to offer the teen the Good Citizen Award!
“Izayah is truly one of the best among us, as he acted without expectation of recognition, which is why I am all the more honored to present him with this award today,” said Beck.
The officials handed him the award and said they were proud to have him in their town.
“The Good Citizen Awards are meant to honor and further inspire kindness and humility amongst our fellow neighbors,” Beck said. The Rep.
said that they are all “proud to have him on our team and thankful to the Mayor of Crown Point for the much deserved recognition.”
Beck concluded her speech, saying that “this young man is the embodiment of Hoosier hospitality, and I am thankful that his random act of kindness was able to bring light to our community.” It’s not every day we have the time or means to stop and try to help others with as little as we can, but Izayah has shown everyone what it means to be a wholesome person.