Texas County Emergency Management Director Richard Wood passed along this email he received from J.J. Travis, who is the director of the Red Cross chapter that covers Area G, which includes Texas County.
It includes comments by David Reidy of Queens, N.Y., who left a message on the Facebook wall of Area G.
“When I read these kind of letters, it reminds me that this could be Texas County and how fortunate we are to live where we do and know that we are surrounded by human beings that have a heart and soul,” said Wood.
Reidy’s comments:
“I just want to share a story with you. I live on Ozone Park, Queens, New York City. During Hurricane Sandy we weren’t the hardest hit area but right next to it. I have friends and co-workers that lost everything, but my house only lost power and heat for 10 days. During that 10 days, my wife and I were helping the lady that lived below us in the basement, a 70-year-old woman with no family left in the area.
“Every night we could hear the sirens and in the day we could see the trucks and supplies heading 5 minutes south to the Rockaway Beach and Howard Beach area. Most of the people in my area left due to the lack of power and heat and threat of looters. The three of us felt cold, alone and forgotten inside and out. Then one night a Red Cross truck set up around the corner from my house. My wife went to investigate as I was on “don’t let the cats knock over a candle and burn the house down” duty.
“The elderly lady from downstairs went with her. A short time later my wife arrived home carrying a cardboard box and crying. When I asked what was wrong, she said, “They asked if we were okay. They asked if we had enough food.” See, my wife and I were raised in the streets. We’ll spot if you are full of it in a split second, and sadly most New Yorkers are. We’re use to fakeness and soul-less interactions with people. But anyway….. she opened the box and there were three MREs and a bunch of different bags of snacks and bottled water.
My wife, one of the toughest women I have ever met, was crying because when they asked if we were okay and if we had enough food, they meant it. They meant it straight from their hearts. Thirty-two years of distrust and lies and all the mental barriers we build up to protect ourselves were smashed because some people we didn’t know, from some place we never were, drove day and night to bring someone something they might need.
“I don’t know if she had ever felt love like that before. It completely brought her to tears and restored her faith in humanity. I don’t know if anyone reading this knows who set up their Red Cross truck on the corner of Pitken Avenue and 96th Street. All I know is it had Missouri plates. I want to tell them thank you. You saved a life that night. Not with food and water but with your heart and a few simple questions: Are you okay? Do you have enough food? On a side note, I have never seen joy like I did when I showed the old lady downstairs how to use an MRE. It was the first warm thing her freezing cold arthritic fingers had felt in a week. Thank you Missouri Red Cross for the food, the water and for giving a broken city some heart and some faith.”
I don’t know if she had ever felt love like that before. It completely brought her to tears and restored her faith in humanity.”