A group of young Black men are being praised for their act of compassion toward an elderly woman at an Alabama restaurant.
Jamario Howard and his friends, JaMychol Baker and Tae Knight went out for a bite to eat at Brad’s Bar-B-Que in Oxford on the night of April 18 when they spotted an elderly woman sitting all alone.
(Clockwise from top left) Buddies Tae Knight, JaMychol Baker and Jamario Howard shared conversation and laughs with their new friend Eleanor in an Alabama barbecue restaurant. (Facebook / Jamario Howard)
“My exact thoughts were ‘dang I’d hate to have to eat alone,”’ Howard wrote on Facebook. “So after thinking about it a minute, I walked over to her and asked if I could sit with her.”
The woman, identified by station FOX 46 as Eleanor, happily obliged and the two began talking. After a while, Howard said Eleanor revealed to him that she’d lost her husband and Friday would’ve marked their 60th wedding anniversary. The young man said he instantly gave his condolences and invited the woman to come eat with him and his friends.
“This woman changed my outlook on life and how I look at other people,” Howard wrote. “Everyone has a story so do not judge!”
Together, the newfound friends shared a meal and exchanged stories. Howard’s parting words of advice were to “always be kind and be nice” to people, because you don’t know what they’re going through.
“GO SEE YOUR MOM AND YOUR GRANDPARENTS. They miss you!!” he added.
The men’s simple act of kindness melted hearts across social media.
“God bless you 3 men, and thank God there are still people out in this world who have some Morals and good upbringing,” one Facebook user wrote. “Your parents would be proud.”
“Bless your heart,” another chimed in. “We’re usually too ‘shy’ to do something like this because ‘it’s not done.’ It SHOULD be done! Thank you for the encouragement!”
“What a wonderful story❤️,” another woman wrote. “Nice to see a positive situation taking place in this mixed up world. You and your friends where raised by good people. Keep in paying it forward.
