Authorities About To Impound Single Mom’s Car Are Left In Awe After Opening The Trunk
When Ebony Rhodes got pulled over by police, she feared that her life would be ruined. When the officer saw how distressed she was, he knew something was up, but Ebony confessing to driving without a license proved to only be one small part of the story. It wasn't until authorities started to investigate the vehicle and opened the trunk that they suddenly saw the real reason the single mom had been so panicked — but they feared it was already too late to get involved.
No Rest for the Weary
Even after Ebony finished a grueling shift at a discount store, she didn't have time to rest. The single mom had her four kids all jump in the family Buick, as they had important work to do. She always told her children that their struggles were no excuse for not working hard.
Study Session
Ranging in age from 12 to 17, Ebony's kids all had school finals coming up. She wanted nothing but the best for them, so she insisted that they all go to the library to study. However, they never got there.
Flashing Lights
During the drive over, Ebony's heart dropped as a set of flashing police lights appeared in her mirror. She pulled her car over, though she knew she was about to be in serious trouble.
Falling Apart
Tears began flowing down Ebony's face before the officer had a chance to approach her window. When he asked her what was the matter, she admitted that she was driving with an expired license.
Serious Consequences
That was a serious offense, and the police officer didn't give any leniency. He arrested Ebony and sent her car to the scrapyard. Little did he know, he was overlooking a key part of the story.
Car Contents
That essential truth didn't come to light until days later, when authorities inspected the vehicle prior to impounding. There was nothing special about the car itself, but what was inside of it immediately caught their interest.
Home Supplies
The trunk and backseat of the car were filled with all kinds of supplies. There was bedding, games, books, and various types of food. That's when the full picture came into view.
Homeless Family
After asking around, the police confirmed the sad truth: Ebony and her four kids were living in that car. The Rhodes family was having a hard enough time, but now their mom was in custody and their shelter was about to be crushed into oblivion.
Anger and Disgust
Word of the incident got around, and the Atlanta police felt terrible about it. The single parents on the force were outraged, as a matter of fact. Fortunately, one man decided to make things right.
Jeff Glazier
Deputy Chief Jeff Glazier felt particularly torn up about Ebony's dilemma. Outside of official work hours, he did some reconnaissance into her background. Maybe he could help.
Medical Woes
The driving factor behind the Rhodes' financial woes, it turned out, were a series of medical issues. Ebony's daughter Danniaja suffered from Lupus, while Ebony herself got frequently sick to the point where she couldn't work.
Staying Together
These mounting costs forced the family out of their home. Ebony looked into homeless shelters but couldn't find any able to accommodate all five of them. She figured keeping them all together in the car was better than splitting up.
Reaching Out
Hearing this moved Jeff in an incredible way. It was clear that Ebony wasn't at all a criminal, just a good person dealing with a whole lot of bad luck. The Deputy Chief never met her in his life, but he decided to reach out to her.
Calling in Favors
Over his years on the force, Jeff made a number of connections with various city officials. He told Ebony that he might be able to make a few phone calls and find a shelter that had space for all of them.
Natural Suspicion
Ebony, while intrigued, couldn't help but be a little bit suspicious. After nearly ruining her life, why would the police suddenly be on her side? Well, Jeff gave an interesting answer.
"We Are More Alike"
The Deputy Chief quoted the famed author Maya Angelou. "We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike," he said. Though he and Ebony were in two very different positions, Jeff knew they shared the same values.
Clean Beds
Sadly, Ebony had been turned away from more shelters than she could count. But with Jeff on her side, the Rhodes found five beds at a nearby shelter within days. That was a huge short-term fix, but the Good Samaritan wasn't done yet.
Safety Net
Jeff also promoted a GoFundMe page for the family, just to provide a "safety net" while they got back on their feet. They raised tens of thousands of dollars, which resulted in a huge turnaround.
Apartment of Their Own
Ebony's hard work, combined with thoughtful contributions, allowed the family to rent an apartment. Now her kids could focus on school again, instead of whether or not it was safe to sleep in a strip mall parking lot.
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Act of Kindness
Strangely enough, Ebony realized that getting pulled over was a sort of blessing in disguise. She saw one act of kindness could turn around an entire life. And for a single mother, that one act of kindness can mean everything.
Things In Common
Ebony knew she was far from the only struggling parent who got a miraculous helping hand. When two moms were caught stealing at a nearby Stop & Shop, they had no idea what their fate was going to be — fines? Jail time? An embarrassing slap on the wrist? But when the store clerk called the police, the moms were dumbfounded to get the Ebony Rhodes treatment.
Caught Red Handed
It happened at a Stop & Shop supermarket just five days before Christmas. That night, two women entered with the intent to make Christmas happen for their families...no matter what the cost. Instead of scanning all of their items at self-checkout, the women began placing some in bags without scanning. They almost got away with it...until they were caught and sent to a loss prevention associate.
Calling The Cops
The women tried to explain what they were doing, but the loss prevention associate didn't listen. All the associate saw was two women stealing merchandise, so he did what he was trained for and immediately called the police. Minutes later, Officer Matthew Lima responded.
Evidence
Officer Lima showed up to find that the two women accused of stealing weren't alone. With them were two young children. Officer Lima soon discovered that the women couldn't contest the theft charges even if they wanted to because their receipt showed several missing items.
Side Talk
Unlike the loss prevention associate, Officer Lima refused to jump to conclusions. Instead, he took the two women aside and offered them a chance to explain themselves. He had no idea what he was about to hear and how it would permanently alter his perspective.
Working Mother
"The woman I talked to, she explained she was working,” Officer Lima said, “but the mother of the children was not working and had some other family issues going on and that what she had taken was Christmas dinner for the kids."
Father of Two
Officer Lima knew the struggle of making ends meet, and it helped him make the right decision in the moment. "I have two girls myself, similar in age to the two girls that were there, so it kind of struck me a little bit," he said.
All Groceries
After taking a peek at their cart, Officer Lima saw that most of their items were simply groceries. No electronics or expensive items in sight, just two mothers trying to feed their family during the holidays. He found himself feeling compassion for them, even if the store itself did not.
Banned
Though Officer Lima still hadn't decided whether he was going to arrest the women or not, that branch of Stop & Shop banned them for life. Under no circumstances were they allowed to ever shop there again, but Officer Lima had an idea.
Unjustified
He’d been called to neutralize the situation, but Officer Lima couldn’t justify turning these hungry women into criminals. How would that neutralize anything? With this in mind, Lima made a decision that would end up being nothing short of a Christmas miracle.
Obviously In Need
"Obviously, this family was in need and I can't imagine having to make the decision to go to Stop & Shop and just only pay for what I can afford — or do I go there and try to take things for Christmas dinner for the kids?" Officer Lima's head spun just thinking about it.
No Charges
So instead of pressing criminal charges, Officer Lima gifted the women a $250 gift card. That way, they could visit any other Stop & Shop and ensure full pantries for the holidays. Though this meant putting his own job on the line, the family's reactions to Lima's deed made it worth it.
Thankful
Officer Lima said the women were shocked and thankful. “I'm sure a lot of people in that same situation would be thinking that there was going to be a different outcome, and maybe they would be arrested or have to go to court,” he continued. It's actually Lima who feared getting into trouble...
Hungry Americans
Lima knew it was his job to enforce the law, but he couldn't help but think of the countless other families struggling to survive. After all, other versions of this story happen every day. In fact, over 50 million Americans are likely to experience food insecurity by the end of 2020, according to Feeding America.
Corona's Impact
On top of already-unequal access to food and resources, the coronavirus pandemic has made it even harder for families to keep food on the table, leaving almost 17 million children hungry. You may think food banks should solve this problem, but as Lima knew, they're not always the best option.
Not Enough Food
Food banks attempt to fix the situation, but they’re more like a Band-Aid. Not only does charity food constantly run out, but the food is never very fresh or nutritious. Millions of Americans find themselves looking elsewhere for basic nutrition; luckily, public servants like Officer Lima are sometimes there to help, even at their own risk.
Chief's Approval
Technically, Officer Lima broke protocol by not charging these women with theft. It wouldn't have been unreasonable for Lima's boss to suspend him or worse. In the end, though, while the store clerk might have been annoyed, Lima's police chief felt otherwise.
Right Decision
George McNeil, Somerset's Police Chief, said that he was proud of Officer Lima for making the right decision. “I would like to personally commend Officer Lima for his actions,” McNeil said in a statement. According to the chief, Lima's actions "exemplify what it means to protect and serve."
Community Leader
“When faced with a difficult situation in which a family was trying to provide a meal for their kids, he made the generous decision to not press charges and instead ensured that they would have a Christmas dinner they could enjoy," McNeil said. With that, he called Lima with the good news.
Rethinking Duty
When Officer Lima put on his badge the next morning, he wasn’t thinking about which poor soul he was going to book into prison. Instead, he rethought his duty and chose to help his community when they needed it most. Now that’s what we call public service.
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