Covington woman helps stroke victim reconnect with his family
COVINGTON, Ga. - A woman in Covington was able to connect a lost and confused stroke victim with his family members.
Fleeta Baggett said she noticed a man who had been sitting alone for hours on a bench Wednesday.
"I was picking our lunch up and I said, I'll grab another lunch," Baggett said. "I brought him the food and I started talking to him and he was really confused. He wasn't even sure what town he was in. That's when I realized we had something more than your run of the mill homeless person ends up here in Covington."
She found out he had been released from Grady Memorial Hospital after a stroke.
He couldn't remember how he got to Covington, his address, or any of his family members. Baggett was able to learn his name was James.
"The only thing that he asked for was a pillow. and that's when I really got upset. I said I thought, I'm not finding this man a pillow, I'm finding this man someplace to sleep," Baggett said.
The shelter in Covington was full, so she booked him a room at a local hotel.
As the night wore on, Baggett said she just couldn't let it go. She decided to turn to social media for help.
"During the night when I couldn't sleep and I was worrying about him, I went an posted a picture on Facebook and then when I got up in the morning, it had just exploded," Baggett said.
Thanks to that post, she was able to connect with some of his family members. Family members told her they had been looking for him for a couple of months.
"I'm pretty sure they're in shock. There was some disbelief, some concern and I think they're just trying to figure out right now what to do to keep him safe from here on out," Baggett said.
Baggett said she hopes this will inspire others to seek out opportunities to help those in need.
"When you see someone in need, don't be afraid to reach out and ask and to see if someone needs something. They need to realize we're in this together. We need to help one another," Baggett said.