SUNRISE, Fla. – An elderly woman was lost, shoeless in a stranger’s yard when some Good Samaritans helped save the day.
It’s a heartwarming story about neighbors helping an elderly neighbor.
A Sunrise couple found a 94-year-old woman in front of their home. She was on the ground in need of assistance and, without hesitation, they jumped into action to help her.
Esther and Joel Johnson said they were relaxing in their home when they heard a knock around 10:30 p.m.
“I heard somebody say hello,” Joel Johnson said.
They weren’t expecting company, especially that late, and were reluctant to answer.
They eventually took their dog out when they spotted an unexpected visitor; a 94-year-old woman without any shoes on, crawling on the ground.
“Every time she tried to stand up, she’d fall back down,” Esther Johnson said.
The couple saw she was in need of assistance. Joel gently held the woman’s hand and brought her to their front door.
As Joel asked the woman, identified as Sixta Andinom, a question to see how he could help get her home, Esther called 911 and discovered that the woman had been reported missing.
“We gave the operator the name and the operator ran it and that’s when we were able to determine she was a missing person since 10:30 that morning,” Esther said.
One of Sixta’s sons had reported her missing. It turned out she only lives a few homes away.
The Johnson’s were happy they were able to get the woman back to safety.
“I may get to that point one day and I just hope someone will treat me with kindness as well,” Esther said.
“To be honest, it’s second nature. You see someone in need, you want to help,” Joel said.
Local 10 visited Sixta on Monday evening. She was polite and pleasant, and again had stepped out of her home.
She went to a next door neighbor and asked for help, and that’s when he called the police.
Sixta’s son arrived once officers began questioning her. He told them that he was at work.
The officers conducted a welfare check and ascertained that she had food and was being cared for.
They also said they would reach out to the Florida Department of Children and Families due to Sixta’s age.
Sixta’s son told Local 10 News reporter Sanela Sabovic that he and his brother take turns caring for their mom, but his brother happens to be out of town. He also said his mother has Alzheimer’s.