There aren’t many of us who walk down the street without making some kind of judgement about complete strangers; often without stopping to consider why.
Most of the time we brush the thought off and continue on our way but one man decided to go one step further. Dad Brent Gehring was on the receiving end of this bad judgement call as he was shouted at and berated in the street. But, instead of responding with anger Brent decided to teach the man the error of his ways and the end result is pretty special.
Brent has had to watch his 6-year-old daughter Emma battle cancer for most of her life. The brave youngster is preparing herself for her seventh round of chemotherapy for a brain tumor.
Recently, the father and daughter were treated to a special dinner at Union Oyster House in Boston, Massachusetts. After dinner, Brent left the restaurant and was carrying Emma across the street, since she can’t walk without the help of a walker.
As he carried his frail daughter in his arms, a man began to scream at him: “What the (expletive)?” the man yelled. “Make her walk. That’s what is wrong with kids today.”
Brent was floored by the man’s aggression toward him and his precious daughter. “I had a choice to make at that time,” Brent said. “Can I make myself feel better by screaming at him or can I teach him something about life?”
Brent decided to do the right thing and came back with a response that left the man dumbstruck.
“My daughter has been carrying my faith and my strength for the past 5 years since she was diagnosed with a brain tumor,” he told the man. “She can’t walk but I am happy to carry her because of all the amazing things she has taught me through the years. So I would advise you not to address my daughter in any way other than respectful.”
“I won’t tell you the rest of the story but it ended with two grown men with tears rolling down their faces,” Brent wrote in a Facebook post about the incident. “One that needed to have his eyes opened to what real life and real love is and one that is always needing a reminder that good can come from any situation.
“What I am asking is for a change in today’s world… a change in the way we think,” he wrote. “The world is what we as people make it. We have the power to make days better or worse for others. I choose to attempt to make lives better.”
“This story is only important if it serves as a reminder that you don’t always know the whole story so don’t judge others,” he added. “You have the power to make people’s days better or worse. What did you do today?? What will you do tomorrow??
“I promise you this through hell and high water Emma has made each and every day of my life a blessing. I praise God for bringing her into my life. Emma you are perfect just as you are and we will help carry you through chemo #7.”
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