NTX women pay it forward for Thanksgiving
A North Texas woman said the community helped her tremendously after her daughter was seriously injured in an accident. Now she’s made it her mission to help others at Thanksgiving.
Haltom City, Texas – A North Texas woman said the community helped her tremendously after her daughter was seriously injured in an accident.
Now she’s made it her mission to help others at Thanksgiving.
Andrea Martinez-Medellin delivered Thanksgiving meals to seven families in the DFW area. The idea was inspired by the kindness she received when her family was in need. In the past four years, she has bought dinner for about 25 families.
On Tuesday, Martinez-Medellin delivered dinner to Kimberly Perez and her family in Haltom City.
“I’m very grateful,” Perez said. “I’m very, very grateful.”
“I love helping so many families just because I’ve been there myself,” Martinez-Medellin said.
In 2020, a dresser and a television fell on Martinez-Medellin’s 4-year-old daughter Sarai. She was hospitalized with severe brain injuries and was briefly placed on life support.
When Martinez-Medellin’s savings were depleted, she turned to her community for help.
“I didn’t expect the community to respond like this. They helped me every step of the way until the day she came home,” she said.
Sarai is now 9 years old and is relearning how to walk, talk, and becoming a child again.
“I have always felt that I am forever indebted to the community. I will forever give back because my daughter’s life is worth so much more than anything I could offer them.” Martinez-Medellin said. “The idea was like Thanksgiving: a time to be thankful and a time to give.”
Some family members don’t know about Martinez-Medellin’s daughter. People like the Perez family offered her support, love, and prayers in her time of need.
When Martinez-Medellin gives back, she asks for one thing in return.
“Pay it forward,” she said.
Martinez-Medellin was also able to find a table for the Perez family to eat together. She posted on her Facebook page asking if anyone had a table to donate, and community members answered the call.
Martinez-Medellin hopes to help even more families in the coming years.
