Looking for a story of dedication and commitment to get you through the day. We have one from Alabama.
A 70-year-old veteran from East Gadsden, Alabama walks 6 miles just so he can visit his wife with dementia who lives in a nursing home.
James Wright said he walks the long distance to see his wife, whom he describes as “the most beautiful woman in the world” because his truck broke down.
He told WTVM, “I don’t care if it’s raining, snowing, or what, I’m going to see my wife. Even if I have to crawl.”
Lt. Charles Plitt, an off-duty police officer with the Weaver Police Department, noticed Wright walking down a highway looking exhausted.
Wright flagged Plitt down and told him he could not walk any further because he was recovering from a stroke. Plitt drove him the rest of the way.
Plitt said, “After he got in, I thought back to how many times I tell people to be cautious about picking up strangers and about being very careful about picking up hitchhikers and such – usually preaching about not doing it at all, but for some reason I knew this situation was different.”
The ride also gave him a chance to hear Wright’s story. He served 22 years in the Army and sobbed when talking about his friends who didn’t come back from war. But his demeanor changed when they arrived at the nursing home and he couldn’t wait to see his wife again after being apart for a week.
Plitt is trying to find a way to help fix Wright’s truck or help him out with transportation so he can continue making trips to see his wife.