Despite Twitter‘s occasionally well-deserved reputation for hosting some of the worst takes on social media, sometimes a story shines through to touch even the most hard-hearted of users to make us all realize that sometimes people can be unfathomably and wonderfully kind.
Recommended VideosYesterday, user Jessie Renee, a Ph.D. candidate in pharmacology and toxicology at UC Davis posted a memorial to the man who reached out to her when she was only a third grader and reminded all of us how meaningful just being present for another human being can be.
Renee recounted her memory of waiting in a car while her mother, who was then using and dealing drugs “dropped some drugs off.” A stranger came out to watch her and asked her a strange question.
I want to tell a story. When I was in like 3rd grade, I went with my mom while she dropped some drugs off (yes, she was). Anyways. She left me in the car. This guys comes out to “watch” me and it’s just me and him. He looks over and asks. “You don’t know what a haiku is, do you?”
— Jessie Renee (@jreneebad) August 31, 2022“You don’t know what a haiku is, do you?” he said. Jessie, who had recently written one for her class responded, “yeah, it’s a traditional Japanese poem consisting of 3 lines and in the pattern of 5-7-5 syllables.”
The man, Dave, was impressed. So impressed he told Jessie that she was the smartest person he ever met and vowed to himself that he would never let her miss a day of class.
And he did it.
Anyways. On that day he vowed to make sure I always made it to school. My mother was in her own world, doing and dealing drugs. When I tell you this guy drove me and picked me up so he KNEW I went everyday.. he literally did my homework with me.
— Jessie Renee (@jreneebad) August 31, 2022Dave became, according to Jessie, “the closest thing to a father figure I’ve ever had.” He became a mentor, protector, and even a best friend to her. Until the end.
Jessie awoke on August 30 at exactly 1 am. One day later, she received news that Dave had died from apparent heart complications. At 1 am.
Thank you to everyone for the kind words. I was not expecting anyone to even see this, but I am so so happy everyone knows how amazing he was. I will continue to fight and be a Dave in my life. And I pray that I can change someone’s life like he changed mine. ❤️
— Jessie Renee (@jreneebad) September 1, 2022“You can have a good life in spite of your mom, or a bad 1 bc of her” Dave told her. And by being there he gave her the ability to make the right choice.
Twitter has poured out support and kind words in response to Jessie’s story, but it can basically be boiled down to one thing she had already noted. When given the opportunity, be a Dave.
RIP Dave.
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