Sometimes kindness begins with something incredibly simple — noticing someone who is hurting and taking the time to ask if they’re okay.
On July 10, 2016, 6-year-old Janiyah Lewis was leaving a beauty supply store in Norfolk, Virginia, with her mother, Kenyatta, when she noticed a man sitting outside and crying. Instead of simply walking past, Janiyah stopped and went over to check on him.
When she learned that the man had no home, Janiyah immediately wanted to help. Her mother said Janiyah had always been deeply concerned whenever she saw someone struggling.
Janiyah opened her purse, took out some of her allowance money, and gave it to him. She also handed him the drink she was carrying and encouraged him to get something to eat at a nearby McDonald’s.
The man later told Kenyatta that his trailer had burned down and that he had lost everything, including his wife. As they spoke, two other people reportedly stopped and offered him money as well.
But Janiyah’s kindness didn’t end with that moment. She and her mother later started a fundraiser to help provide food and clothing for people experiencing homelessness in their Norfolk community.
A 6-year-old girl saw someone hurting, chose to stop, and reminded everyone around her that even a small act of kindness can mean something to someone going through a difficult time.
Sometimes making a difference starts with simply noticing the person everyone else walked past.
