WYANDOTTE, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 66-year-old Downriver woman is getting around a little easier after an encounter with police turned into a life-changing gift.
Mary Ann Rodriguez, who suffers from neuropathy, was found sitting on the ground near a church on Ford Avenue near 2nd Street when Wyandotte Councilman and former Police Chief Bob Alderman stopped to help.
Watch the report in the video player below:
"I seen Mary laying on the ground," Alderman said.
Rodriguez was attempting to walk from Ford Hospital in Wyandotte to visit her mother in Southgate despite her medical condition that makes walking difficult.
"She doesn't drive and I don't drive, so I walked as best as I can," Rodriguez said.
Neuropathy causes Rodriguez to have limited mobility, a condition she acknowledges won't improve.
"And it's never going to get better. Just have to deal with it," she said.
Wyandotte Police Officer Cade Barwig initially responded to the call and drove Rodriguez home that evening.
"At first, she just wanted a ride to the nearest bus stop but I mean, I'm here to help people," Barwig said.
The assistance didn't end there.
"I called Deputy Chief Groat and I said there's got to be something we can do for Mary. She can't walk. Why is she walking from Wyandotte Hospital to Southgate," Alderman said.
The Wyandotte Police Department and Alderman secured a brand-new wheelchair for Rodriguez and provided her with $200 in Kroger gift cards, courtesy of the American Legion.
"It was kind of amazing. She definitely wasn't expecting it. She was very grateful. She teared up a little bit," Barwig said.
For Rodriguez, the generosity has made a significant impact on her life.
"It brought up that feeling that somebody cares, that I wasn't being ignored and I'm just a little people out there, but I'm not being ignored and everybody else should be treated that way," Rodriguez said.
Alderman, who has spent decades in public service, explained why he stopped to help that day.
"I've been a public servant for over 35 years. It's an honor to be able to help one person. If you can make a difference in their life, then it makes your life better," he said.
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