Arizona Teenager's Act of Kindness Towards Elderly Man Goes Viral
Jordan Hope, 18, was filmed giving shoes off his feet to a disabled man he encountered at a Maricopa parking lot.
An 18-year-old from Arizona has gained widespread attention for a selfless act of kindness captured on video. Jordan Hope was driving near a Walgreens in Maricopa on Sunday when he observed an elderly man walking slowly with a walker.
Hope noticed the man's shoes were ill-fitting and felt compelled to help. "I just felt like God told me to go over there, turn around and just give him some new slides," Hope told Arizona's Family. He proceeded to remove his own shoes and give them to the man.
After initially driving away, Hope felt a further calling to return. He found the man inside the Walgreens attempting to purchase candy. Hope then paid for the man's items. He later learned the man, referred to as Mr. Roy, had recently lost his wife.
"That honestly broke my heart. I just think he needed a friend," Hope said. "It's hard asking for help sometimes. And I'm just glad that God brought me there in that moment to just show my light on other people."
Although Hope intended to take Mr. Roy to lunch, a medical condition made it difficult for the elderly man to enter Hope's car. The teen then arranged for a rideshare, met Mr. Roy at the restaurant, and later assisted him in getting home. Hope and Mr. Roy have maintained contact since the encounter.
A GoFundMe page has been established to support Mr. Roy. Unbeknownst to Hope, his act was recorded by Yareli Madrid, a stranger who later shared the footage on social media. Madrid commended Hope's generosity, noting he acted without seeking recognition.
An former teacher of Hope's recognized him in the video and alerted him to its online presence. "I had no idea," Hope stated. "I saw a truck facing me and I did not know what they were doing. And then the next day after I found out that it was on Facebook, I was like, whoa."
Hope attributes his actions to his faith and his parents' influence. "I knew a tug pulled on my heart, and it was definitely from God... He interrupted my plans for that day to carry on his plans," he said. "I'm just a man trying to spread positivity in the Lord's work."
