https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/men-help-elderly-woman-home-broken-scooter-rain
4 men push an elderly woman in a broken scooter home in the pouring rain. A Florida community is praising a group of men for saving the day.
Lending a helping hand will always be appreciated. Four young men learned that firsthand after they received praise for escorting a retirement home resident back to her residence when her scooter broke down in the middle of a storm.
Katty Castro, a public relations representative at the Florida Living Independent Community in Seminole County, Florida, witnessed the kind act and snapped pictures of the group who valiantly pushed the resident’s scooter to her planned destination.
"Since this is a very quiet neighborhood I was surprised to hear a commotion, laughs and four gentlemen pushing one of my lady residents under a heavy storm in Florida," Castro told Fox News. "They were pushing her up the big slope toward her residence. These heroes were so focused on helping regardless of the inclement weather and they were even covering her with an umbrella, which showed more compassion on their part."
Castro said she went on to thank the men "for their kindness and asked them for a group picture" when they were done with their task and shared the moment with her community on Nextdoor – a hyperlocal social networking app where people can share what’s going on in their neighborhood.
Initially, Castro thought the helpful team of four were local teens from the high school next door, but she later learned the men were employees of Rebounderz Adventure Parks.
The men were passing through the area after a hard day’s work, but noticed the woman just when they were about to turn onto an eight-lane highway.
"[We] noticed the woman was clearly experiencing a malfunction with her mobile scooter," said JohnMorgan Massa, a corporate general manager at Rebounderz Adventure Parks, in an interview with Fox News.
"We were tired, dirty and wanted to get back to the hotel; but, knew without a doubt that regardless of our long day, it certainly wasn't worse than the day this lady was having. She literally had a plastic bag on her head to keep her hair dry," he added. "We knew we couldn't leave her in the rain, in the middle of the road, frantically trying to get her scooter to work again."
Massa and his colleagues reportedly made a three-quarter-mile trek as they carefully pushed the resident while she remained on her scooter, according to Castro.
"Those scooters are heavy, add the resident’s weight, her groceries and collapsing tires, the sum is a whole workout. But, I am proud of their sacrifice," Castro said.
Massa said helping the resident was a no-brainer.
"We just wanted her to get home safely," he explained. "We never expected recognition, just helping a fellow member of our community."
When it comes down to the viral attention they’re receiving, Massa said he and his team "could have never expected this" and hope that people feel encouraged to help their neighbors when duty calls.
"Holding a door, smiling, picking up someone’s spilled groceries, reaching for an item on the top shelf in the grocery store; and, yes, helping someone whose electric wheelchair broke down in the rain are things almost anyone can do," Massa told Fox News.
Castro also hopes this moment inspires others to step up when times get tough, even "when the environment is rough."
"As a mom of teenagers I want my children to grow up like these 'modern heroes,’ to make a difference each day no matter the environment," Castro said. "In these rough COVID times, let’s demonstrate compassion to one another."
