An Unexpected Meeting on a Different Route
Even minor adjustments to our daily routine can have a big impact. This was the case for Kentucky teacher Malissa Sergent Lewis, who one summer morning in 2016 decided on the spur of the moment to take an alternative route to work.
In an attempt to go to her elementary school more quickly, Malissa, who was running late, chose to take a side route rather than the main highway. She had no idea how much this little diversion would affect her day.
Malissa saw an odd sight as she drove along the desolate road: an abandoned trash bag. But this was no regular bag—it appeared to be in motion.
Malissa was forced by curiosity to look into it more. She noticed that someone had purposefully tied the bag tight as she cautiously approached it. She cautiously tore open a corner of the bag, only to find a touching surprise within.
A puppy was inside the sack, and as soon as it spotted light, it began to eagerly wag its tail. Malissa was astounded by what she saw. For an indefinite amount of time, the puppy had been abandoned in the middle of the road and kept inside a trash bag.
A Heartfelt Reaction
Unable to ignore the defenseless puppy, Malissa made the decision to take it to work. After her son eventually brought the dog home, they went to the vet to make sure it was healthy.
Malissa tried everything to figure out how the puppy got into the bag by the side of the road, but she was unable. She got in touch with animal control because she was afraid it would be lost or stolen. Remarkably, nobody had claimed ownership of the puppy or reported it missing.
With a great deal of compassion, Malissa and her family decided to give the puppy the love and care it deserved by adopting it. Malissa, though, was unable to understand the callousness of someone who would commit such a heinous deed.
An Unexpected Development
Malissa thought back on the event and realized that she would never have found the abandoned puppy if she had carried out her usual routine that day. This coincidental meeting changed the story, sparing the dog from an otherwise terrible outcome.
The tale of Malissa’s generosity serves as a reminder of the amazing people who give their all to better the lives of mistreated and abandoned animals. Their commitment and kindness make the world a happier and better place for these defenseless animals.
To honor Malissa and those who go above and beyond to provide love and hope to animals in need, please spread the word about this story.
A single mom with four kids buys a used car, and the owner tells her to check the trunk when she gets home — and the story Begins .
Desperate for work, Jennifer accepted the job even though it meant traveling to a different city every day. She thanked the HR manager and headed home, where she told her kids she had finally found a job. After spending almost $30 on the cab ride, Jennifer realized she couldn’t afford to commute like that every day. It would be better to have her own car, but she didn’t have the money to buy one. She decided her best option was to buy a used car. She found one but wondered if the owner would agree to sell it for a lower price. “Would you be able to sell this car for $5,000? I’m a single mom with four kids,” she asked.
She explained that it had been hard for her to make money as a single mom of four, and she needed a car to take a job in a nearby city. When the owner heard about her situation, he agreed to sell the car for $5,000. “If you can buy the car by tomorrow, I’ll sell it to you for $5,000,” he said. Jennifer was very grateful for the lower price. She tried to get a loan from the bank to buy the car the next day, but her bad credit caused the loan to be rejected immediately.
Running out of options, Jennifer thought hard about what to do next. She couldn’t move to a new city because her oldest child, Ethan, had just started school near their trailer park. Also, rent in the nearby city was much higher, and she couldn’t take the trailer with her. She really needed a car to get to work and pick up her children from school and daycare. Then she remembered the gold chain necklace her late mother had left her, which had been in the family for generations. Even though it made her sad, Jennifer knew she had to sell it to buy the car and provide for her children.
She took the necklace to a pawnshop and said, “I’m sorry, Mom. I really need to do this right now.” The necklace was valued at $5,500, which made Jennifer happy because it was enough to buy the car and have some money left for daily needs. The next day, she went back to the car dealership and gave the owner, Jeff, an envelope with $5,000. “Thank you for agreeing to sell this to me. You have no idea how much this will help me and my children,” she said.
Jeff smiled and said, “Congratulations on your car. This is a great purchase.” While Jennifer was signing the paperwork, Jeff quietly put something in the trunk of the car. As she was about to drive home, he called out, “By the way, check the trunk when you get home. I left something for your children inside.” Jennifer was so busy commuting to work and taking care of her children that she forgot to check the trunk until she found a note in the glove compartment. The note said, “I hope you and your children like the gift I left in the trunk. May it be of great help to you.”
Curious, Jennifer opened the trunk and was confused at first when she saw only a white envelope. Then she realized it was the same envelope she had used to pay for the car. Inside, she found the $5,000 untouched. Overwhelmed by the man’s kindness, Jennifer drove back to the dealership after work to thank Jeff. He told her, “Life throws challenges at you, and it’s up to you to either overcome them or give in. I’m proud of you for staying strong for your children, and I thought you could use the money more than I could. Just remember to pay it forward.”
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