Most of us are skeptical when it comes to giving rides to strangers on the side of the road. We all know the risks, and so does Chad Addie; But when he saw a young man walking for the second time on the same hot July day, he felt a call to stop. Chad was the first citizen of LaPorte County to offer Jermaine assistance but he was not the last.
Jermaine, a father from Michigan City, was walking home from work when Chad spotted him on Johnson Rd. He was a new hire at LaPorte Industries- a ten and a half mile walk from his house. The summer heat and a touch of illness inspired him to search for a shortcut.
The first time Chad drove past Jermaine, he “felt a strong tug on my heart that I have to pick this kid up.” He ignored that instinct because he was running late. Chad had to get home, collect his wife Nancy, and head to a meeting. He did just that.
By the time the Addies were backing down their driveway, Jermaine was walking past their house. Chad recognized the same man he had seen earlier and told his wife they had to stop.
It was then that they learned just how long Jermaine had been walking. It takes him two hours to make the trip to work, and another two to get home from work.
Why does he do it?
To support his children. He has two, and they are what get him back on the long road every day.
Nancy Addie, a blogger who posts the Faces of LaPorte on a regular basis, snapped a picture of Jermaine and posted about his struggle on the LaPorte Current News & Local Reviews Facebook Page.
“We were really shocked at the response,” she said. Dozens of citizens commented on the post, wishing good will toward Jermaine and applauding his efforts. Some bought bus passes for him to use to get to work. Others searched for bicycles for him to use. “I hope he reads those posts and sees there are good people out there. We’re hoping this touches his life.”
Michelle Padula-Pierre, a LaPorte resident for a year, moved here from Illinois. She said, “I see out here the difference of not having all those public transportation options (as Chicago).”
She gave Jermaine another option: a teal mountain bike with 18 speeds. Michelle also stopped at Wal-Mart to get the young man a second lock for the bike, a helmet, and an air pump for the tires. The bike had been sitting unused at her home until she could find someone that would use it.
One of the women that bought a bus pass, Trisha Hancock, is a single mother who knows the struggle Jermaine is going through.
“We have all been in a spot where we need a little help and I am so proud of this young man’s willingness to walk all that way to make sure he gets there. I know how hard it is to do things on your own and I am blessed to be able to offer my help to him. It just shows if you want something bad enough, you will get it.”
One part of this story is the admirable dedication Jermaine has to his children. The other part is the way our community came together to help one of their own. It was a simple act of kindness that led to another, that led to another, that has changed a life.
“That is LaPorte for you,” said Chad Addie. “People respond and want to do something for this young man.”