When we hear stories of kindness being done to others, it inspires and uplifts us and brings out the compassion in us for others.
Here’s one incredible story of kindness that happened as a result of an act of kindness done six years ago to the person.
A handyman in Maryland has put his own life at risk to help a neighbor, and it all started at a bus stop in Gaithersburg six years ago.
Doug Shumway noticed someone standing at the bus stop in 10 inches of snow on an incredible icy day, “I happened to notice somebody standing at the bus stop. It was a winter day, and I realized, you know, I could give this person a ride,” Shumway said.
That person was Dan Reynolds, who straight away agreed to the ride because there was 10 inches of snow and it was 15 degrees outside. After they chatted about random things, Shumway realized that Reynolds did contracting work so he hired him to fix some plumbing.
After working for a few days and it was time to leave, Reynolds told Shumway that he was experiencing homelessness. After a divorce and steep debt, he had been living in a van for two years. Shumway offered him a place to stay. “That’s just the way we’re supposed to be as people. If you have, you give,” Shumway said.
Reynolds has lived with Shumway since then and is popular around the neighborhood. He has also worked for other families as a handyman, including for Tony Antonelli.
Reynolds was cutting grass at the Antonelli home when he noticed that Antonelli didn’t look too well. When he asked him the reason, he told him his kidneys were failing and needed a transplant. “I said, ‘Well, if it’s feasible, I’d be honored to give you one of mine,’” Reynolds said.
“It was a complete shock, out of the blue, and quite frankly, you can’t make that up,” Antonelli said. The two men were a perfect match and the transplant was completed on Feb. 23, and they are now recovering at home. “There’s a reason Dan is in my life, and that’s to actually save my life. I can’t thank him enough,” Antonelli said.
Reynolds’ friends organized a GoFundMe, that raised more than $25,000 for his surgery and hope his story will inspire others to become organ donors. “It’s not hard to help each other out, to do things for each other. Pay it forward,” Reynolds said.