82-yr-old with dementia went missing in below-freezing temperatures—a sanitation worker's smart move saved her life
Just one minor observation is often enough to save someone's life. A sanitation worker experienced this firsthand and saved an old woman's life. The 82-year-old with dementia had wandered out of her house and was lost in freezing temperatures. The sanitation worker, Macario Chism, came to know about the woman, Thelma Bates, and immediately joined the search to find her and bring her back to safety. He didn't know that his efforts would pay so well, per News Channel 3.
The man had been told about Thelma's disappearance and was determined to find her somehow. "I gotta find that lady because she might freeze or she might be dead," Chism thought. The woman who was suffering from dementia had gone out of her home in Caruthersville, Missouri, one morning and was lost. She had also spent six hours out in the freezing cold temperatures when the search party eventually managed to find her. Chism had immediately joined the search for the woman along with first responders. The man drove around Thelma's house and just a few blocks away, he found a clue that helped him get to her. He spotted a small backyard shop building with an open door.
"I saw the shop door had swung open from the wind and it had closed and that’s when I noticed her on the ground in the shop. She raised up and then she fell back," Chism went on. He immediately jumped into action and rushed to get to Thelma. She was shivering when Chism found her. He immediately gave her his coat and carried her to his truck. The man quickly turned the heating on in his truck before he called the first responders to check on the woman. The emergency medical service arrived and checked on the woman before taking her to a local hospital. The woman had been out in the cold for several hours without any shoes or a coat.
Because of Thelma's condition, the medical staff was worried whether she would survive or not. But she started getting better soon afterwards. "He was taking his time, he was paying attention and he found her and saved her life. I couldn’t be prouder of the guy," Barry Gilmore, the Code Enforcement officer with the city of Caruthersville, expressed about Chism's efforts in saving the woman's life. Her family was really grateful for all that the man did for her. The man had just started his shift with Waste Pro when he received the call about the woman and immediately decided to help.
"I was worried sick. The whole community came together," Marian Bates, Thelma's daughter, told K8 News. Chism had his late grandmother in mind when he saved Thelma back in 2022. "She died in my arms. I couldn’t save her, so I was just happy to save Mrs. Bates." Gilmore pointed out, "This is about as close as a miracle that you can get." He invited Chism to the City Hall and gave him a surprise for his brave act. "Macario, this is a hero's welcome that we have here for you today. A simple act of kindness made you a lifesaver, a hero and the next winner in the Gr8 Acts of Kindness. We have a special surprise for you!" he told Chism. Thelma gave him a big hug the next time they met.
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