To the Editor:
I was involved in an incident that occurred Dec. 19 at about 8 p.m. at Family Dollar on Cass Street, where I had stopped to pick up diapers.
I was getting my 2-year-old son out of his car seat when I was approached by a man whom I did not know. He was screaming and yelling at me, “I’ll kill you.”
A Hispanic man, who was coming out of the store with his family, without any regard for his own safety, stepped between this man and myself and said, “Leave her alone.” He gave me time to get my son out of the car and into the store to call 911.
The staff and manager, Amanda, tried to calm me and called 911 when this individual came into the store, continuing to make threats to staff.
Joliet police arrived within minutes, but sadly the gentleman who had helped me in the parking lot had already left, so I did not get a chance to thank him. This could have had a very different outcome if it weren’t for these angels who stepped up and did the right thing.
Even though I knew none of these people, they became my angels this Christmas! It’s people like this that make my community, the East Side of Joliet, a great place to live!
A sincere thank you to the Hispanic man in the black truck, Amanda and the staff at Family Dollar, and the Joliet Police Department. All of you went above and beyond to make sure my son and I (strangers) were safe!
Penny Alvear
Joliet