Chris Barrington, a 30-year-old man with special needs, and his junior high teacher Michelle Girard have given the internet exactly the type of content that we want to see. The 30-year-old Barrington, who has the functionality of a six-year-old, was found walking down a road in Texas all on his own. Barrington had wondered off after his father, who was his primary carer, was diagnosed with leukemia and no longer able to take care of him.
Police eventually came across Barrington and were trying to figure out where to take him. However, the only thing the 30-year-old was able to remember was the name of his junior high teacher, Mrs. Girard, who hadn’t seen her former student in years, according to KWTX.
At that point, Girard asked police what would happen to Barrington if she could not take him in and their response was not what she wanted to hear so she took matters into her own hands.
“I said ‘what happens if I don’t take him? Will he get in a group home?’ they said no he’ll he’d go into an institution,” Girard said. “I said not on my watch he’s not. He deserves a good life.”
From there, the story only gets better.
Girard and her family welcomed Barrington with open arms and began to give him memories and moments that he never had. Girard gave Barrington his first birthday party, and is ready to give him his first-ever Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
“He’s never had a birthday present, a birthday party, he’s never had Christmas, thanksgiving, nothing,” said Girard. “So this year is going to be full of firsts.”
Here is more on the heart-warming story:
The family also plans to take Barrington to Disney, to Hawaii on a shark fishing trip, and many more adventures that he can now appreciate thanks to the kindness of the Girards.
We need more people like Mrs. Girard in this world.