Sometimes just one singular act of determination and striving to make it against all odds can open doors you never ever thought will be opened for you. Please read this inspiring story to the end. I hope it inspires someone out there. ENJOY!
19-year-old Fred Barley has once again
proven that with determination, you can get what you want out of life.
Barley was found
by police officers last Saturday sleeping in a tent outside of Gordon State College in Barrysville, GA.
The officers,
instead of giving him a ticket for trespassing, decided to listen to his story.
He told the
officers how he had ridden his younger brother’s bike 6 hours from Conyers to
Barnesville (about 80km) to register for classes for his second semester of
college. He stuffed all he owned in two duffel bags and carried 2 gallons of
water as he rode through the heat of summer.
Barley pitched his
tent at a nearby bush near the campus, determined to live there till August
when the college dorm rooms will open.
He had nothing
more than a box of cereal to eat.
Homeless and
jobless, Barley spent the day searching for a job. It was after he returned to
his tent that the police, responding to a report that someone was living in the
bush told him to come out with his hands up.
The officers
listened as he shared his story.
He told the
officers that the bushes on campus are safer than his tent in the Conyers. He
told them that he’s a biology major and will like to go to medical school one
day.
The officers took
him to a motel and paid for his next two nights.
“He was so understanding and he said, ‘I
definitely applaud you for doing this. We can’t allow you to stay here, but I
have somewhere you can stay.
The stuff that’s happening with police
officers, I am black and he didn’t care what color I was. He just helped me,
and that meant a lot,”Barley
told Channel 2 Action News.
One of the
officers’ wife posted the story on a Barnesville community Facebook page
and hundreds of people stepped up to help.
Casey Blaney and the motel owner paid for him to
stay in the hotel till the dorm rooms are open. A local pizzeria, DB’s Pizzeria, hired him on as a
dishwasher. The University offered to get him in the dorm early – on Monday.
“I created a
position for him before he walked in my door. I didn’t know his name. I didn’t
know the color of his skin. I didn’t care. I’ve been there so I guess I had a
soft spot for anyone who is that determined to succeed in life,” Debbie Adamson, owner of DB’s
Pizzeria said.
Fred Barley and Debbie Adamson
“Fred I’m up your way a
lot and I’m a Uber driver. If you ever need a ride man I got you! No charge!
Good luck in all you do,” said Marcus Powell on a Facebook page Success For Fred created for Barley.
A man took Fred to breakfast and gave him a new men’s mountain bike and running shoes.
I was shocked by how much support people will
give from Lamar County and counties all over and even people from across the
country that I’ve never met just wanted to help so much in my life. I was just
so shocked and grateful.
Some of the gifts aren’t as important as the
friends I’ve made. More important than everything – the clothes, the shoes –
the relationships mean so much more to me.
The Bible says, ‘You can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me,’ so I know I can. My legs are working. Millions of
people walk and bike to work every day. I definitely think I can bike a couple
hours to get to my future,” Barley said.
A GoFundMe Page, created for Barley has raised over $130 thousand within 3 days.
Barley says God has been the driving force that keeps him going.
Story Credit-
Bellanaija
*** Sometimes, your situation or circumstance might seem unchangeable or so difficult to ever see anything good come out from it. But as long as you keep trying, as long as you don't give up, as long as you move out of your comfort zone and do what seem to be impossible, as long as you challenge yourself, the universe will have no other choice than to work in your favour.
Nothing great ever comes without you acting. Sometimes you may never have a clue of how or from where or when help will come your way or how a miracle will happen but as long as you decide to try, as long as you decide to act, as long as you don't give up, no matter how long it takes you will eventually have a course to look back with great joy and share your story.
Don't give up, it is not over until it is over.
Be Inspired
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Yours Truly,
Chidinma
Such is life.
ReplyDeletegrace working
ReplyDeleteI really thank GOD for my life
ReplyDelete