Life comes at you fast; leaving many people finding themselves in tough situations questioning how exactly they even got there. This was all too true for Columbus local, Shaunea Butler. But this year she received something priceless, a Christmas miracle!
Butler currently works for Amazon Prime, delivering joy around the city.
“Yeah, [I’m] kind of like Santa’s helper,” she said, laughing.
Butler has worked with Amazon for the last month, however before that blessing, times were extremely tough for her and her daughter.
After experiencing the tragic loss of her grandmother a few years back, Butler found life even more difficult to deal with. She fell victim to a deep depression, lost her employment and struggled to keep a stable roof over their heads. After expiring accommodations with family and depleting her funds, Butler also lost her mode of transportation, leaving her and daughter, Nakeyah living in a homeless shelter.
“Immediately, I just started praying because I needed a miracle,” Butler said. And a miracle is just what she received, thanks to the big, giving heart in Columbus Police Officer James Poole.
“When I speak, I like to speak life,” Poole said. “I like to speak love and I like to speak hope.”
Poole is a community liaison officer with CPD and has been on the force for more than 2 decades.
Poole learned about the Butler families’ situation through Nakeyah’s school principal.
Officer Poole immediately took action and he, along with Starfish Assignment, which is a non-profit organization that connects officers with needs in the communities they serve, went to work.
“I believe everybody deserves a second chance,” Poole said. “Everybody deserves grace in their life.”
Last week, Lindsay Honda donated a new car to Butler, with the insurance for the vehicle covered for six months thanks to another outlet adding to the Christmas miracle. Officer Poole was present for that surprise and when Butler signed the lease on her new apartment! He also helped out by paying for her utility services and applications fees out of his own pocket, while she also received donated furniture.
Butler can now go into the new year and new decade with a second chance that’s very much well deserved.
Source: NBC4i
