Glimpse Of The Unusual
As a police officer, it was his duty to serve and protect. He has been with the force for many years and he's seen some terrible things and some not so terrible things. The morning started off in a not-so-great way. He had to deliver bad news and his chest felt heavy because of it.
He felt so tired. He looked at his watch and saw that only half an hour had passed. He likes to visit the housing estates on his way back to the precinct despite the drive being longer than it needs to be. Something strange caught the corner of his eye. He slows down and sees a woman doing something odd.
Lending A Helping Hand
John Crawford didn't know what he wanted to be when he grew up. Maybe a firefighter? A doctor? Whatever he ended up doing, John knew he had to help people. The world was filled with people desperate for help. The homeless, starving children, and mothers barely making ends meet struck a chord with John. He was going to help them all.
John knew what it meant to struggle. Because he knew how hard life can be he always tried his best to do something kind for those in need. He gave sandwiches to the hungry and money to the poor. His Sundays consisted of serving soup to those in need. John was an admirable man.
Painful Recollection
Most people's earliest memory is fond. Their first pet, their first day of school, or a beach vacation. John wasn't that lucky. His earliest memories were of his father's episodes.
His father would slam doors, break plates and cups, and scream for what felt like hours on end. This affected John so badly that he wet the bed until the age of 14. One night, John woke up abruptly at midnight.
The Escape
John's mother was a brave woman. The night was dark and cold and 8-year-old John was confused. His mother dressed him in a warm sweater and tied his shoes. She carried him outside, she knew her son deserved a better life than this.
Only the necessary things were packed. Nothing more, nothing less. With John in her one arm and the luggage in the other, she walked all the way to the bus stop. She bought a ticket to Madison, Alabama and John's new life began.
His Dream Job
John managed to finish school while working so that he could help his mother with their financial burdens. John and his mother lived in a modest apartment and had to scrub mildew from the walls frequently. The moment John finished school, he signed up to join the police force.
Times were tough for John and his mother, but they knew that they were safe from him. John eventually became a sheriff and he vowed to take care of his mother just as she has taken care of him. It broke John's heart knowing what his mother went through and he wanted to make sure that no woman or child will ever have to go through what they had to go through. When Sheriff Crawford saw Racheal he knew that he had to help her.
Infatuation
Racheal Godley Brindley was a bright 20 year old. One day, she met a much older man named Ryan. Despite their age difference, Racheal fell head over heels in love with Ryan.
Ryan consumed Racheal's life. She would cancel plans with her close friends and family to see Ryan. Things progressed at a faster pace than either of them could have anticipated.
Rocky Road
After being together for only one year, Ryan proposed to Rachel. Shortly after their wedding, Rachel fell pregnant with their first child. Rachel gave birth to their child and Ryan started feeling immense pressure to provide for his family.
Ryan worked a crazy schedule and Rachel barely saw him. When they did see each other, the time was spent fighting. Ryan's career was starting to flourish but that came with a cost. His marriage started to suffer from Ryan's stress and absence. Rachel knew that their marriage was not in a good place but she did not tell Ryan that his work was the reason why. She supported him and his choices and could not say no to him.
Loneliness
Racheal thought the world of Ryan. She believed he was a reasonable man and when he asked her to consider leaving her job to raise their two children she agreed almost immediately. She supported her husband no matter what and when he canceled their plans to work later she forgave him.
Ryan was the provider of their family. Ryan bought Racheal her dream house and he took care of her. Racheal had everything she ever dreamt of, except a husband who was present. He barely spent time with his family and that broke Rachel's heart. Ryan made Racheal a promise, but when it was time to keep that promise he did something unimaginable.
Unavailable Father
Racheal found out that she was expecting her third child. She was excited. During this time she took on the task to redecorate her house. She did everything herself despite having swollen ankles and a sore back. She wanted her children to remember their childhood fondly.
A baby boy was welcomed to the Brindley family. Ryan made sure to be home for breakfast and dinner and to help more with his kids. It warmed Racheal's heart to see him trying so hard for their family. However, one day he did something that made her question everything.
Caught In The Act
Sheriff Crawford saw Racheal struggling to mow her lawn with her baby boy strapped to her chest. He could see she was exhausted.
“Everything okay ma’am?” Sheriff Crawford asked kindly with a smile on his face as he helped lift her up from the grass. “Yes, officer. I just need to sit down for a while. It’s not easy working in this heat.” Racheal said. Sheriff Crawford could see that the woman was on the verge of tears. Her son started to cry and he knew that he had to help this poor woman.
Was She In Trouble?
He took off his hat and reached for the handle of the lawnmower. “Y’all I thought I was about to get in trouble or something…” Rachael later shared.
But this officer just wanted to lend a hand to a mother in need of some help! Ryan had returned to work a few weeks prior, and Rachael was struggling to manage three kids while running a house alone. The pressure was taking its toll.
She Decided To Do It Herself
“He has been working hard on a work project and hasn’t had time to cut it,” Rachael told. “It was a nice day out and so I thought I’d help my husband out and cut it myself. I enjoy cutting the grass.”
But Rachael underestimated the difficulty of doing tasks while her body was still healing. And little baby Michael wasn’t in the best of form that day.
Surprise Visit
Rachael explained that when the officer passed, the “sweet” man “stopped and insisted” on mowing the lawn for her. At the time, Rachael was worried.
She was alone with the kids, and a police officer had never approached her before. As if she wasn’t stressed enough that day, seeing a squad car pull up outside her homemade her panic. But now, she’s delighted with her surprise visitor.
A Huge Help
Ryan later found out about Rachael’s helper for the day. “It’s small in nature, but was a huge help to my wife today.”
The incident has opened Ryan’s eyes, reminding him of the importance of family. Since the incident, he’s made sure to leave work at work and spend extra time with his family. But why didn’t the officer just keep driving?
Serving The Community
Although he joined the force to protect and serve, Sheriff Crawford also makes it his mission to be kind and helpful. And after completing the job, Rachael thanked him with a well-deserved tall glass of lemonade.
And understandably, her experience has gained plenty of online attention. It’s not often you meet a stranger willing to help. Someone definitely deserves a special award for kindness!