Homeless people, like all people, deserve dignity, respect, and compassion. However, homeless people are often viewed as pests and treated worse than animals.
In late September 2018, the inhumane treatment of a homeless person in Syracuse, New York was captured on camera and shared online, where it quickly spread around the country. When people witnessed the cruelty, however, they came together and offered priceless support.
On The Streets
On Sunday, September 30, 2018, Jeremy Dufresne stopped at the Dunkin’ Donuts on North Salina Street in Syracuse, New York. He planned to spend the night asleep on the streets as he did most nights. But before then he had to charge his phone.
An Evening Ritual
Each night, Dufresne calls his mom, Bobbie Jo Richardson, on his cell phone to let her know that he’s OK and to say goodnight. He started the evening ritual after he dropped out of high school and later became homeless. According to Richardson, her son struggles with mental illness and has had health issues since he was a baby.
A Tough Beginning
When Dufresne was born, he was starved of oxygen, which resulted in mental and physical issues when he got older. As a child, Dufresne struggled with epilepsy and a learning disability. Sadly, that led to him being picked on and teased by other kids in school.
Adolescent Challenges
Sadly, Dufresne’s life only got harder as he got older. When he was two years old, his father was left in a coma after getting into a motorcycling accident. He was in a coma for 12 years before he finally passed away. Dufresne was 14 years old at the time. On top of everything else Dufresne had to deal with, he was also diagnosed with schizophrenia. While in high school, Dufresne dreamed of becoming an artist when he was older. However, he gave up on that dream and ended up dropping out of high school.
A Mother’s Nightmare
Not long after dropping out of school, Dufresne was homeless and living on the streets. Despite the challenges of being homeless, Dufresne insists he actually prefers it over living indoors. However, when his mother first found out that her son was living on the street, she was determined to make him come home.
A Temporary Solution
When Richardson heard that her son was sleeping on the steps of a church, she begged him to come and move in with her in her home that was out of town so she could be closer to her job. Dufresne agreed at first to appease her, but he didn’t stay long.
Moving Out
According to Richardson, her son stayed with her for a few weeks but ultimately chose to move out. He wanted to be back in Syracuse and didn’t want to live indoors. Dufresne also enjoys being alone. “The only time I talk to people is when I talk to my family,” he said via Syracuse.com.
A Final Stop
Since then, Richardson and Dufresne’s aunt, Betty Jo Craven, try to help him as much as they can. That Sunday in late September, Dufresne had spent the afternoon at Craven’s home in Syracuse. In the evening, he left to find a place to sleep for the night but decided to stop in Dunkin’ Donuts before that.
A Safe Charging Spot
According to Dufresne, he sometimes stops into the coffee shop to warm up and charge his phone after eating his meals at the Samaritan Center. Normally, the staff at the shop are pretty nice to him. On a number of occasions, they’ve even given him food or drinks.
The Incident
All they ask is that he does not bother anyone, and according to Dufresne, he never does. That Sunday night, Dufresne sat down at a table, plugged his phone in to charge, and then put his head down while waiting for it to charge. Moments later, however, he found himself soaking wet after a worker at the store dumped cold water on him.
An Act of Cruelty
“You going to sleep? How many times I’ve got to tell you to stop sleeping in here,” the employee said to Dufresne in footage of the scene, which was later posted online. “You know I’m not playing with you. And I ain’t going to call the cops on you like I said. You going to get out of here.” In the background, another worker can be heard laughing at Dufresne.
The Public’s Reaction
Dufresne quickly grabbed his things and left the store. “He probably had some personal problems of his own and needed someone to talk to,” Dufresne said. “And he took it out on someone else, like me.” However, when others saw footage of the inhumane treatment, they weren’t as forgiving. People demanded the worker be fired and called for people in the area to boycott the store. About 20 people also showed up at the shop to protest. At first, Dunkin’ Donuts responded to the controversy by suspending the employee while investigating the incident further.
Dunkin’ Donuts Speaks Out
When Kimberly Wolak, the franchise’s owner, saw the video, however, she fired the employees involved. “It not only violated our written policies, but goes against our core values as an organization — which include creating a welcoming and hospitable environment and treating everyone with dignity and respect,” she said in a statement.
A Catalyst For Change
“We also intend to work with local advocates to make sure that our employees are better educated as to how to engage with homeless individuals and where to direct them in the community for appropriate assistance,” Wolak said. In the aftermath, Samuel Breazeale, who witnessed the incident, also created a GoFundMe for Dufresne.
Priceless Support
He hoped to raise $150 to help Dufresne get by. After the video spread around the country, however, over 1,000 people donated more than $24,000. To ensure it gets used wisely, the money has been put into a trust for Jeremy. “All proceeds made are going to Jeremy and family to help him get on his feet so there will be no more nights at Dunkin’ Donuts. Thanks for the support,” Breazeale wrote.
The Apology
Since the video has made its way around the country, however, the worker who dumped the water on Dufresne has since come forward to apologize. He knows what he did was wrong, but claims he’s not a monster. “It was wrong, completely. I felt wrong as soon as I did it,” Shakeen Robbins said. “I want to apologize to him.”
The Other Side of The Story
According to Robbins, he was homeless just a few years ago and can relate to Dufresne. In the past, he’s gone out of his way to talk to him, get to know him, and give him some food and water even though it’s not allowed. He even has tried to help Dufresne get a job and improve his situation even though Dufresne never seemed interested in his offers.
Too Much to Handle
Robbins explained he just snapped that evening. A few days earlier, Dufresne had started causing trouble. That night, Robbins has to force a fighting couple out of the store after the woman tried to stab the man. Many nights, Robbins and his coworkers have to deal with drug addicts who come in to do heroin in the bathroom. Recently, a man on drugs tried to attack his coworker.
A Frustrating Situation
“We’ve told them many times about the situation,” Robbins said. “They tell us to call the cops. What are the cops going to do if they don’t make it on time?” When Dufresne didn’t respond when Robbins tried to wake him up, he snapped. Now, the father of two is trying to apologize to Dufresne for what he did.
No Excuse
“I would like to apologize … to let him know I never viewed him as a lesser person,” Robbins said. “Let us try to figure out how to work through it.” Robbins has also offered to do community service and work with a homeless outreach program in the area. However, Dufresne’s mother has said there’s no excuse for what happened. “It doesn’t matter if he is sorry,” Richardson said.
Strangers Offer Support to Homeless Man After Inhumane Treatment Caught On Film is an article from: LifeDaily