If it weren’t for services like Meals on Wheels, many seniors would have little contact with the outside world on a day-to-day basis. Not ...
If it weren’t for services like Meals on Wheels, many seniors would have little contact with the outside world on a day-to-day basis. Not every elderly person still living on his or her own is blessed to have caring neighbors or family nearby to check in on them regularly.
One older resident from Conway, Arkansas, could have lost his life Thanksgiving week if good Samaritan and Meals on Wheels driver Daniel Dykes hadn’t stopped by and noticed something was amiss.
Dykes works with the Faulkner County Council on Aging, which provides around 400 meals a day to people in the area, according to a post by the organization.
It also operates six senior centers in the county, and its transportation program covers about 98,000 miles every year.
Dykes, who was scheduled to drive the unnamed gentleman to his dialysis appointment, arrived to pick him up on Nov. 24, but the man didn’t answer and the door was locked.
When Dykes peered through the glass door, he saw the tip of the man’s shoe and knew something was wrong.
He called 911 and Kathy Wyrick, who also works with the Faulkner County Council on Aging and was familiar with the elderly man in question.
The Conway police soon arrived, and one of the officers was able to open the door. According to the Log Cabin Democrat, it was Officers Brandon Huff and Michael Bruno who helped, as well as firefighter Rick Stapleton.
Wyrick later posted about the rescue on the Faulkner County Council on Aging’s Facebook page.
“I delivered meals to the senior during summer, so I knew exactly where he was,” she wrote. “When I arrived, I could see a portion of the senior’s face through a small crack in the opened door.
“I spoke to them and told them that we were there with them and an ambulance was on the way. When the senior finally tilted their head slightly, we knew that they were still alive.”
The man was able to get help, thanks to Dykes.
“The CPD, Conway Fire Department and ambulance driver treated the senior respectfully while loading onto the gurney,” Wyrick continued. “(Thank you to them for all that they did in gaining access and more!)
“The senior has to have dialysis to live, so it was likely that they would not have survived until Monday, which would have been the next time that we would have seen them.
“We often say that our home delivered meals are much more than nutrition. Those who deliver are also a guaranteed contact. That same thing can be said for the transportation that we provide. Had Daniel not been there on Wednesday, the senior would not have been able to reach their phone to call for help due to how weak that they were and the distance it was to their phone.”
“A special thank you to Daniel for his quick thinking. And a huge thank you to each person who supports us!” she said.
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