Sofi Cruz Turner, a high school student from South Carolina, didn’t know what it was like to be in her friend Jahiem’s shoes, but she did know he needed some new ones.
“Last week, he didn’t want to sound ‘in-need,’ but Jahiem asked, ‘Can someone buy me a pair of shoes? I don’t like mine, and I wear a 10-11,’” Sofi said.
Walk a mile in his shoes
Sofi met Jahiem in third grade, when they were in the same elementary school class. As they grew up, they remained friends.
“He has always been the student where he does all of his work when due, never misses school, always helping the teacher out with stuff in class, and always being a happy human being,” Sofi said about Jahiem.
Jahiem’s comment asking for shoes stuck with Sofi, and she wanted to use that opportunity to help her friend.
A spring in his step
Now, Sofi had the means and the confidence to help out her friend. She recently got a new job and decided to use the money from her paycheck toward a gift for Jahiem. Her family helped too, and together, they were able to buy Jahiem a pair of new Adidas shoes.
“Since I’ve gotten a job and have been working really hard, I got the money together and bought him a pair of shoes the next day. My granddaddy helped me out as well,” Sofi said.
Sofi took to Facebook, sharing her story and a video of Jahiem’s reaction. In the post, she wrote, “The past week and a half, I have been planning on doing something special for a good friend of mine. His name is Jahiem.”
In the video, Sofi places a black backpack on Jahiem’s desk and tells him to open it. He unzips the bag and pulls out a box. Inside are his new shoes. An overwhelmed Jahiem cries at his desk while Sofi hugs him.
“Seeing him crying was very emotional because I could see that he didn’t know what to think,” Sofi posted on Facebook.
When the shoe is on the other foot
Sofi used her hard-earned money not for herself but for her friend in need. This incredible act of selflessness not only provided for a friend but also taught Sofi an important lesson: that giving is a gift in itself. Follow in Sofi’s footsteps and help a friend, whether that’s by offering them support, lending them a hand, or gifting them a pair of shoes.
Source & Credit: goalcast.com