When this stressed out mother of five took her sick child with her to a doctor’s appointment, she could have never imagined how her nightmare of a day was about to turn around…
When It Rains, It Pours
Melissa Simms was having the worst day of her life. She was a mother of five living with her husband and children in Pell City, Alabama. On top of the stress of raising a family, Melissa had a number of other tragic problems.
Stressful Life
Melissa had recently undergone a number of surgeries that drained her bank account to the double digits. She was exhausted, broke, and recovering from the stress of the operations. When it came time for Melissa’s follow-up appointment, she had no idea how she was going to afford to feed her family that night, much less shell out money for the copay…
They Had to Brainstorm
Early that morning, Melissa and her husband Caleb sat down to talk about their options. Money was tight around the house, but they needed to come up with something…
Barely Enough
Even when they pooled together all the money in their pockets, they only came up with $10 for gas money for Caleb to get to work and Melissa to drive to and from the doctor’s office. Melissa was growing anxious…
Long Road to Recovery
Melissa had been through a number of surgeries in the past two years due to an underlying health condition. Recovery had been hard for her; she was unable to work and had trouble doing things around the house.
Out of Options
The mother of five had no idea how she was going to feed her kids that night. Skipping out on the follow-up appointment could be extremely detrimental to her health, but it was looking more and more like that was the only option.
Making a Choice
Melissa’s son Trey wasn’t feeling well and had to stay home from school that day. Melissa had no choice but to bring him along to the doctor’s office if she decided to go at all. She figured that she could use the remaining balance on her credit card to supplement the cost.
Hardly Skimming By
Because of the multiple surgeries, Melissa was unable to work. Her husband Caleb provided as best he could for their family, but with five children, it was impossible to make ends meet…
A Final Decision
She couldn’t leave Trey alone at home, so her only option was to usher him into the car and spend the last of their cash on gas…
The Worst Feeling
Trey coughed and sniffled in the car as Melissa drove them to the doctor’s office. Her purse was empty and her cupboards were bare. She couldn’t stop thinking about how she would have nothing to feed her kids for dinner…
Reality Check
If Melissa were to forego the appointment, it could jeopardize her health. She was worried about what it meant for her family if something happened to her…
Worst Case Scenario
In the case that Melissa was no longer there to take care of the kids, with her husband was at work all day trying to earn enough money to keep the family afloat, she had no idea what might happen to them. The mere thought sent shivers down her spine.
She Had No Idea
Soon, their car approached the commercial park. Melissa was jittery with nerves. She parked the car and helped Trey, who was feeling weak, get out of the vehicle. The two made their way into the doctor’s office, anticipating the worst…little did she know, things were soon about to change.
Waiting for the Blow
Melissa and Trey walked into the doctor’s office. Trey sat down in the waiting room while Melissa got on line to speak to one of the nurses behind the window. The worst was certainly about to come…
Bad News
When Melissa finally got to the window, she explained to the nurse why she was there. The nurse took her card and ran it to charge for the copay. It was then that Melissa found out the bleakest news of the day…
Humiliated
Melissa was mortified to learn that her card was declined: she couldn’t afford the copay. She had difficulty recomposing herself, tears brimming in her eyes as she steeled herself to work it out with the receptionist. Meanwhile, another person had entered the waiting room, but Melissa was too distraught to notice.
It Could Be Worse
Thankfully, the doctor still agreed to see Melissa. She felt like she was having the worst day of her life, but at least that was one small blessing…
He Didn’t Notice
Melissa followed one of the nurses back into the examination room while Trey sat in the waiting room. He put in his earbuds to tune out the sound of the ringing phone in the reception area. While he was zoning out, he didn’t notice someone approaching him.
The Stranger
Trey looked up to see a woman standing in front of him. He didn’t recognize her from anywhere. Melissa was still in the examination room and he wondered if she was there looking for her…
Mysterious Envelope
He took out one of his earbuds and asked what she wanted. The stranger said nothing. She just smiled at him and handed him an envelope. Trey asked what it was…
Not For Him
The stranger glanced around to see if Melissa had returned; she said that the envelope was for his mother. Trey was confused, but he nodded nonetheless, accepting the envelope from her.
Melissa Returns
Trey was getting a headache from the bright lights in the waiting room. He turned back to his phone, hoping the stranger would take the hint and leave him alone. Moments later, she disappeared. That’s when his mom returned from the examination room…
Empty Pockets
The follow-up appointment had gone well, to Melissa’s relief, but she wanted to grab her son and get out of there as quickly as possible to avoid the humiliation of knowing she couldn’t pay. As she beelined for the exit, Trey caught up to her, brandishing the envelope in hand.
Raising Questions
Melissa didn’t understand why her son was waving an envelope in her face. Trey explained to her about the strange woman who handed it to him earlier. Her initial reaction was to scold him for accepting gifts from strangers, but both of them wanted to know what was inside…
What Was Inside?
Trey told his mother that the woman had asked him to pass the envelope on to her. Melissa figured it wasn’t anything special. A bill? An advertisement? A brochure? She decided to open it…
The Note
Inside the brochure, Melissa was surprised to find a handwritten note: “I’ve had days like you are having today. Hang in there.” Beneath it was a bible verse, Joshua 1:9. Melissa wracked her brain for what it might mean...
Do Not Be Afraid
The passage in the Bible said, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” That’s when Melissa saw something peeking over the top of the letter…
Act of Kindness
Behind the letter was a crisp $100 bill. Melissa was shocked. She felt tears begin to brim in her eyes. Who was her mysterious savior?
It Changed Everything
“It was a complete feeling of peace, just like everything is going to be okay,” she said. With the $100 gifted to her by a complete stranger, Melissa was able to pay for her copayment. She even had enough for groceries to feed her family dinner. Melissa wanted to thank the Good Samaritan in person…
Grateful
“I don’t know what she looks like, I don’t know her name, but I hope I get to meet her to say thank you,” she said. Her son added that if he had known was the envelope contained, he would have thanked her as well. Melissa hopes that one day, she’ll be able to follow in the stranger’s footsteps…
Paying it Forward
“It’s the kindest thing that’s ever been done,” she said. “Truly from the bottom of my heart, I thank this would. I would love to repay her and pay it forward one day, just like she did.” Even if Melissa didn’t have much money to give, she vowed to do something nice for someone else.