Stranger Hears A Teenager Laughing At A Retired Veteran Crying In The Bathroom And Steps In To Help
The incident highlights the need to respect and support veterans, recognizing their sacrifices and challenges in civilian life.
Bignai / VGstockstudio / Shutterstock As a man sat down at a local restaurant to enjoy lunch, he was interrupted by the sound of a teenager laughing about an older man struggling in the men's restroom. When he went in to investigate, he never could have imagined what he would discover.
Now, he hopes that the heartbreaking story will serve as a message to others to spread kindness to strangers.
The man discovered a teenager laughing at a retired veteran who was stuck on a toilet in a public restroom.
In a Facebook post, Marcus Pass revealed that one day, he was eating lunch at a Zaxby’s restaurant, and while enjoying his meal, he overheard the sound of a young man laughing about an older gentleman struggling in the bathroom. When he went to investigate, he was confronted with the sound of an older man weeping.
When he drew closer to one of the restroom stalls, he came across a tear-jerking sight. An older veteran had become trapped on one of the toilets, unable to pull himself up since he had left his cane by the entrance.
When Pass asked the man if he was okay, he claimed that his legs were too weak to get himself off of the toilet without his cane. Without hesitation, Pass came to the man's assistance.
“I asked him to unlock the door and helped the man up and got his pants up for him,” he wrote.
As he was helping the man, Pass noticed that he was wearing a Vietnam Veteran hat. Before shaking his hand and thanking the man for his service, he pulled Pass in for a hug.
Photo: BAZA Production / Shutterstock
“[He] told me that he's 69 years old and that was the most embarrassing moment in his life with tears in his eyes,” Pass shared.
As he walked the veteran out into the restaurant lobby, he spotted the laughing teenager and demanded an apology on his new friend’s behalf.
Pass hopes that the story will pass on an important message to the younger generations.
“Moral of the story getting old is inevitable, but being a complete jerk to a stranger is not," he wrote.
Unfortunately, veterans like this man are not always treated with respect by their community members despite their service. According to research conducted by Pub Med Central, elder abuse is a significant problem in the U.S. Elderly veterans are especially at risk for elder abuse due to high levels of physical vulnerability, frailty, and caregiver dependence.
Many of us fail to realize just how much they have sacrificed in their lives just to protect ours.
After leaving the military, many veterans may face challenges reintegrating into civilian life. The least we can do as fellow citizens is respect, recognize, and support their transition by demonstrating our kindness and compassion toward them.
It does not cost us a thing to extend our gratitude to our veterans. Our actions can foster a sense of gratitude, unity, and support, creating a society that values and cares for those who have served in the military.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.