The summer of 2017 has been fraught with natural disasters across the globe. From major earthquakes to hurricanes to wildfires, there has been plenty of devastation to go around. But in the midst of the turmoil and uncertainty, there are inspiring stories of the inherent kindness of the human spirit. After the events of last weekend, Pam Brekke knows this to be true.
As many Floridians were fleeing the state last week in anticipation of Hurricane Irma’s arrival, Pam Brekke was frantically searching for a generator. Her father, who is on oxygen and relies on electricity to power his medical aid devices, was unable to leave his Sanford home, and Pam was worried that they would lose power during the storm. After traveling to every hardware store in the Orlando area, Pam was unable to find a generator.
So when she received word that one Lowes in Orlando would be receiving a last-minute shipment of generators, Pam immediately set out for the city. The line was long, and only 200 generators were available. As the pile continued to shrink, Pam became increasingly worried. And when the last generator went to the person just before her in line, she couldn’t hold back the tears.
Her anxiety over the coming storm and her fear for her family took over as she explained to a local news crew how worried she was for her father. It was during this exchange that another customer walked up to Pam and insisted she take his generator. Though he spoke little English, he was able to communicate that he wanted Pam to have the generator – even though it was clear he did not fully understand what it would mean for her and her family.
This time, Pam was crying tears of joy. “He’s an angel from God,” Pam told the news crew. Nancy Alvarez, the WFTV reporter who captured the touching moment, immediately shared it on her Facebook page. The story quickly went viral, and countless individuals reached out to Nancy asking what they could do to help.
The very next day, Nancy returned to that Lowes to meet the man who had come to the rescue of Pam Brekke and her family. Ramon Santiago reiterated that he knew Pam had needed the generator and that he had wanted her to have one. And when he and Nancy entered the Lowes, he was rewarded for the kindness and generosity he had shown to another human being in need. Another generator had become available, and everyone wanted to make sure that it went home with Ramon.
