When a woman broke into tears at a Lowe’s in Florida, Ramon Santiago did not hesitate to do the right thing. Hurricane Irma is close to landing in Florida, and residents are doing everything to prepare for the disaster. Pam Brekke was hoping to buy a generator for her father’s oxygen tank but was devastated to learn they had run out.
Employees were unsure if more generators would arrive anytime soon. Despite a language barrier, Santiago gave Brekke his generator, no questions asked. “Everything is OK, everything is fine,” Santiago told Brekke in his broken English. They hugged, and Brekke later described him as a blessing.
Brekke was already crying before this moment occurred, but his random act of kindness brought new tears of happiness to her face. “I’m very overwhelmed by that man. He’s helping our family,” Brekke said. “He’s an angel from God is what he is.”
The video reached close to 20 million views on Facebook and prompted thousands of comments celebrating Santiago for his good deed. At least 25 people have died due to Hurricane Irma, and Santiago might have just saved a life by giving up his generator. One of the comments on Facebook read:
I would hope that most of us would let her buy the last one but giving it to her is a whole flight of stairs more than what might be hoped.
This Facebook user brings up an excellent point. Santiago gave Brekke the generator for free when many would have sold it to her instead. He saw a woman who was in need – more than his own – and helped her during a difficult moment in time.
Fortunately, people like Santiago still exist today. He was selfless and realized Brekke would benefit from the generator much more than he would. With four hurricanes actively harming the United States, it’s relieving to see that kindness still exists.
Brekke had traveled 30 miles in the storm to purchase the generator. Imagine her disappointment had Santiago not been there. She would have had to return home empty-handed to a father struggling to breathe. If it wasn’t for Santiago, we might be telling a different story today.
Brekke, unfortunately, was one of the few lucky individuals to get what they needed. Many people left the store without the supplies they were looking for. Santiago, on the other hand, received a generator from Lowe’s after the store caught wind of this story.
It’s inspiring to know that a natural disaster is bringing out the best in people instead of dividing the masses. There’s a fine line between safety and disaster, and we hope Hurricane Irma doesn’t cross it. For now, let’s hope we get to read more stories like Santiago’s and Brekke’s.