A Detroit man showed what true neighborly love looks like when he found a young child walking alone in freezing temperatures.
We go with our busy lives and forget to look around to see how many people actually need us. We rush from one thing to the next and never notice the child walking alone, the neighbor struggling, or the person who just needs someone to stop and care.
We assume someone else will help. We assume things are fine. But Joshua Threatt didn’t think that way. When he saw a 6-year-old girl out in the freezing morning, he stepped in and cared for her as if she were his own child.
Joshua Threatt, 36, was driving on Detroit’s west side when he saw something that broke his heart. A little girl was walking all by herself in the bitter cold. She had no hat. She had no gloves. She had no boots.
Joshua is a father himself. His youngest child is the same age as this little girl. He knew right away he had to help. “If I was cold, I definitely know she was cold. She had to be freezing no doubt,” Joshua said.
He didn’t just drive away. He didn’t even put her in his truck because he wanted to do everything the right way. Instead, he got out and walked with her. They walked together for 10 blocks all the way to Thirkell Elementary School.
Joshua recorded the walk on Facebook Live so people would know he was trying to help, not harm.
“She was out here walking by herself. How old are you? Six? Man,” Joshua said in the video. You could hear the concern in his voice. This touched his heart deeply as a father.
“I actually thought about my youngest because my youngest is the same age and I was like this shouldn’t be, like somebody needs to be with her,” he said.
The walk was long and cold. Joshua kept thinking about how scared she must have been. “She’s probably scared because she’s been walking for about 10 blocks. She’s probably scared. So many people just pulled up on that little girl. I am so happy I saved her. I am so happy I saved her,” Joshua said. His voice got emotional as he spoke.
When they finally reached the school, Joshua made sure to tell the staff at the front door everything that happened. He wanted them to know this precious child had been walking alone in dangerous cold for a long way.
The video touched people everywhere. Tens of thousands of people watched it online.
After the video went viral, Joshua talked with the girl’s father. “We had a good, nice man-to-man talk,” Joshua just wanted to make sure this little girl would be safe from now on.
Detroit police looked into what happened. They found out this wasn’t the first time this child had been found walking alone. Children’s Protective Services has been told about the situation too. The authorities are now involved to make sure she stays safe.
Joshua has a simple message for every parent. “You need to make sure the kid’s safety is first and foremost above anything,” he said.
Joshua’s actions show us something beautiful. He saw a need and he met it. He could have just called someone. He could have driven past. But he chose to walk alongside this child, step by step, until she was safe. That’s what love looks like. That’s what being a neighbor means.
May we all have a selfless heart like Joshua to step in for someone in their time of need.
WATCH: Dad Spots Little Girl Alone in Freezing Cold and Walks Her to School
@wxyzdetroit A Detroit man's act of kindness has gone viral after he recorded himself walking a 6-year-old girl to school when he found her walking alone in freezing weather without proper winter clothing. Joshua Threatt, 36, spotted the child Monday morning walking without a hat or gloves on Detroit's west side. The father decided to escort her 10 blocks to Thirkell Elementary School and documented the encounter on Facebook Live, where the video has since touched tens of thousands of viewers.
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