Photo By Keith Hayes | Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., Police Department... read more read more
The military and civilian community of Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., come together to give a helping hand to a stranded family.
On the morning of Oct. 1, MCLB Police Officer Leopoldo was manning the front gate of MCLBB.
“I had seen a car parked on the off-ramp of the 40 freeway when I came to work. I thought it was kind of suspicious,” Leopoldo said. “There was obviously somebody inside who seemed to have slept in the car overnight.”
Leopoldo said around 8:30, a woman and three small children approached the gate he was manning asking if they could use the restroom.
“I saw that it was a kind of an emergency situation so I let them in to use the bathroom at the Pass and ID building next to the gate,” he said. “She started to cry because her children were tired, thirsty and hungry, and she told me her fiancé had been arrested the night before.”
“She had run out of gas and had no money,” Leopoldo said. “She said they were from Missouri and had nowhere else to go.”
That’s when the family training Leopoldo had learned from his mother, a Christian pastor, kicked in.
“I checked my wallet to see how much money I had. Officer Harrell chipped in as well,” he said.
“A lady from the Marine Corps Exchange was coming through the gate at the time and she gave the family a case of bottled water she had in the trunk of her car.”
Harrell also went with Estheisy Veragara, the MCX employee, to open the store early on a Sunday morning, where he bought some breakfast and juice for the children.
“Someone also called the MCLB Fire Department and Captain Craig Posey and his engine crew helped fuel up her vehicle and then donated some money themselves. They also let the children play on the fire engine to take their minds off their situation.”
Leopoldo said two of the police department dispatchers also donated money to the cause, as did the watch commander, Lt. Malinowski, and police Sgt. Hernandez.
“When I was talking with the boys (ages 9, 10, and 11) they told me they were interested in becoming Marines and policemen, so I gave them MCPD Junior Police badges,” he said.
Altogether, base Fire and Emergency Services personnel presented the woman $364 in donations.
Leopoldo said he does not know what happened to the family after that, but he thinks they are trying to get to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Station
In documenting the incident, Lt. Malinowski praised the men and women of the Police and Fire departments and the civilian community for their generosity in helping out total strangers in need.
“I am proud of all employees who participated in this selfless act of kindness,” Malinowski said. “This is an example of what can be accomplished when we all come together as a team to help one another.”
| Date Taken: | 10.26.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.26.2017 10:29 |
| Story ID: | 253057 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 66 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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