A heartwarming story of compassion and selflessness is captivating the online community as a Texas State student gains recognition for his extraordinary act of kindness. Jimmy Amisial, a native of Haiti, is receiving praise after his decision to adopt a baby he discovered abandoned in a trash heap during his visit to his home country in 2017.
Recalling the distressing moment, Jimmy described finding the infant boy, named Emilio Angel Jeremiah, who was a mere four months old at the time. The baby was crying, unclothed, and covered in fire ants. Jimmy shared his experience, stating, “You could see him crying, and he had no clothes on, and he had fire ants crawling all over him,” as reported by Fox.
Texas college student Jimmy Amisial was visiting his home country of Haiti in 2017 when he found a baby, abandoned, covered in ants and lying on top of garbage.
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) August 14, 2022
✍️@elizTrovallhttps://t.co/E9oDyd3h9C ⬇️
The situation took a troubling turn as Jimmy observed that a group of locals had gathered around the helpless child. However, due to prevailing Haitian superstitions, they were paralyzed by fear and reluctant to intervene. He explained, “No one wanted to touch the baby because they thought the baby was cursed. They were like, it’s New Year’s Eve, the devil is trying to get us.”
In spite of the superstitions and the challenges that lay ahead, Jimmy could not turn a blind eye to Emilio’s plight. Being an active volunteer at orphanages in Haiti, the 27-year-old understood that he had to take action. He gathered the little boy in his arms and made the decision to bring him home.
Jimmy Amisial was visiting his home in Haiti when two lives would be changed forever.
— Feminists for Life (@Feminists4Life) August 7, 2022
There, Jimmy found an infant that had been abandoned – a huge problem in the poor country. That is when Jimmy rescued the baby, and that is where their story begins. https://t.co/TAKlzOhSqb
Soon after, Haitian authorities and a judge arrived, posing an important question to Jimmy, who was only 22 years old and still pursuing his college education. They asked if he would be willing to become Emilio’s legal guardian. Jimmy shared his response, saying, “Even though I didn’t know how I was going to take care of him, I took a leap of faith by saying yes.”
Undoubtedly, accepting such an immense responsibility was no easy task, and it presented numerous challenges for Jimmy. Financial struggles arose as he had to bear the costs associated with raising a child. Furthermore, he had to take a break from his college education to provide support to Emilio and his mother. Presently, Emilio’s mother is taking care of the now 4-year-old child in Haiti.
'To me his cries were saying save me'
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 8, 2022
Jimmy Amisial shares the story of how he rescued a 4-month-old baby that was left in a dustbin near the orphanage he was volunteering at. https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3
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However, Jimmy has no regrets about stepping into the role of Emilio’s surrogate father. He finds joy and pride in being the person his son can turn to for his needs. Jimmy expressed, “Whenever he’s talking to me, he’s saying ‘oh daddy, I need this, I need that. I need a tablet, buy me a bike.’ He has someone he can go to and ask for stuff, and I’m very proud of that.”
To aid in covering the expenses associated with the adoption, Jimmy initiated a fundraiser that has thus far raised $60,000. His ultimate goal is to bring Emilio to the United States, and any remaining funds from the campaign will be used to support Jimmy in completing his college education and securing a bright future for Emilio.
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