Jimmy’s life changed totally overnight when he found a 4-month-old baby boy who had been left alone. At first, the trip seemed hard, but it turned out to be a valuable gift and a lesson for life. Jimmy learned that he should never doubt his strength and drive, because life gives us the strength to deal with tough choices and do well.
Jimmy’s love and devotion made Bright Side feel moved and motivated. We want to tell you about a child whose life was completely changed by a young man with a huge heart.
Seeing what you can’t imagine
People think that movies are the only place where these kinds of things happen, but Jimmy has actually been through it. The trouble began when the young man, who was studying in the U.S. at the time, went back to Haiti for Christmas to see his family. On the last day of the year, he went to the school where he works to bring gifts for the kids there. He had no idea that soon things would change for him.
He heard loud voices coming from a group of people as he walked toward the shelter. While he was getting closer, a woman told him, “There’s a baby in the trash!” He “saw a crying baby boy on top of a large pile of trash” as he got closer to the scene. The baby didn’t have any clothes on, and fire ants were all over his small body.
People in the area didn’t do anything to help the baby because they thought he was cursed. Someone said, “I’m not going to touch that baby,” in a whisper. That child was not put there by me.
Coming to the aid
When Jimmy saw this, his heart broke, and tears came to his eyes. Anything was fine with him as long as the baby was safe and out of there right away. He almost automatically jumped in to help, picked up the child, and ran straight to his mom’s house to clean, dress, and feed the upset toddler.
They took the baby to the hospital the next day to get help for the fire ant bites and allergic responses. Jimmy took the formal steps to protect him because he didn’t have a mother, father, or other relative who could take him home. He became his legal guardian.
Make a choice that will change your life
After being put in this life-changing situation, the young man couldn’t sleep for many nights because he didn’t know what to do. He had no idea that something like this would happen. As a student, he was only there to visit his family for a few days. He wasn’t ready to become a dad yet. But at the same time, he had a voice in his head telling him that they were meant to be together with this baby.
In the end, Jimmy chose to get his courage together, stand tall, and face the problem head-on. He wasn’t going to leave this poor soul. He gave him the name Emilio Angel and will always love him.
Going up against problems one by one
But the student’s future was now unclear and hard to understand. He wasn’t sure how he was going to raise and take care of a child, but he was determined to do it no matter what. During this difficult journey, he knew that his way would be shown to him and that each step would be clear.
And this is what really happened. When Emilio had to come back to the United States for school, his family took care of him. His friends helped him by giving him clothes, money, and prayers. When Jimmy and Emilio got married, they were surrounded by love and support from their friends and family.
Even though he had help, Jimmy was still Emilio’s main caretaker and provider, and he had to deal with hard times financially. It’s not easy to be a parent while you’re still in school and trying to figure out your own life. He chose to stop going to school and spend all day with the baby.
Looking forward to becoming a dad
Jim is now a dedicated dad, and he wouldn’t trade his life with Emilio for anything.
Everything he has been through has taught him to be open to life’s difficulties and ready for them at any time.
Another thing Jimmy learned from his one-of-a-kind experience is that the world can hide its gifts by showing them as problems. We don’t know they’re gifts until we decide to take them.
Jimmy is now set on his next goal, which he describes as “the process of adopting Emilio and making this precious child my legal son.” The little boy or girl is doing great because he is surrounded by love and warmth. He is a very smart kid who is always excited about life. His father told him that he likes sports, talking on the phone, and playing the guitar. He also says that he wants to become a singer.
This quote always helps Jimmy when life gets tough: “Your greatest contribution to the kingdom may not be something you do, but someone you raise.” It gives him the strength to keep going on this wonderful journey.
What do you think about Jimmy’s trip? Are you willing to share a similar story of someone who did something kind for someone else?