We all know how terrifying the prospect of losing a loved one can be, especially if our lives have been touched by Alzheimer’s disease. We can only hope that if a relative were to wander off while disoriented, a kind stranger would be there to lend a helping hand.
Gigi was 92 years old when she wandered away from her home one day. Lucky for her and her family, this Amazon driver was there to guide her home.
Alzheimer’s quickly degenerates brain cells, leading to various stages of disorientation and forgetfulness. This can lead to a variety of safety risks both in and out of the home.
Gigi suffers from an advanced stage of this dementia, leading to issues with her memory and critical thinking skills. Recently, she left her home unnoticed and spent time wandering around her Franklin Square, New Jersey neighborhood.
Risks run high for vulnerable individuals lost in public. Drivers and ill-intended strangers all pose a risk to people like Gigi.
Thankfully, a kind Amazon driver by the name of Wilmar eventually saw the older woman looking lost and alone. Pulling over to see what she needed, he quickly realized the extent of the situation and promised to help Gigi.
Wilmar was able to call her granddaughter, who was out of the home at the time driving her own mother to the doctor. When the delivery driver reached her, she immediately told him her home address.
Karen, Gigi’s granddaughter, watched through her Ring doorbell as Wilmar helped her grandmother carefully back into the house. He helped Gigi out of the van and even held her hand as the approached the door.
In a later interview with Ring, Wilmar explained:
“I was delivering and I saw this older lady was walking by. She waved at me, which isn’t an odd occurrence, people wave at you all the time as an Amazon driver. But she was waving at me like something happened. I noticed how she had this wristband on. And it had her name and her information, as well as who to contact.”
Karen herself was of course incredibly thankful for Wilmar’s assistance and care with her grandmother. She said:
“I felt that Wilmar went above and beyond. We have that type of a great close-knit community here, that if there’s something that a driver’s going to spot, that’s out of line, he’s going to say, ‘I’m going to make sure that my customers are taken care of, because this doesn’t look right.”