Unexpected twist after text message sent to wrong person
A joke that started after a man received a text message from an unknown number by mistake has taken an unexpected turn.
The man from the US state of Arizona received a message from somebody offering to bring dinner over the following night when he jokingly replied with his order.
However, when he was told that the meal was actually for a friend’s family as their son was in the ICU, the recipient of the message immediately asked how he could help.
Abby Fink told Phoenix news station KNXV-TV that she had accidentally texted a man named Bill Clayten, rather than her friend Shaun Jakeman.
"Hey brother Jakeman, this is sister Fink, we are bringing you dinner tomorrow I was wondering what time would be a good time to bring it over," the text read.
According to Ms Fink, Mr Clayten jokingly replied: "Oooh! What're you bringing me? I'm allergic to seafood."
Ms Fink then explained to Mr Clayten that the text was meant for Mr Jakeman and his wife, Alex, who have a four-year-old son, Noah, in the ICU.
Mr Clayten then responded: “How can I help?”
"I was like, 'Well, just pray for Noah,' and he was like, 'Well I don't really pray, but I can help with donations, food, etc.’," Ms Fink told KNXV-TV.
Mrs Jakeman told Yahoo that Noah has Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, a severe type of epilepsy, as well as cerebral palsy, brittle bones, microcephaly and autism.
The mother was driving Noah, along with his four siblings, to a doctor for a follow-up appointment regarding his broken ankle when he suffered a seizure and vomited, sending the fluid into his lungs.
“[He was] immediately intubated [at Phoenix Children’s Hospital], and was in full respiratory failure and has been in the ICU ever since. He had aspiration pneumonia and a bacterial infection in his blood and then has had complications and setbacks along the way,” Mrs Jakeman said.
Ms Fink said Mr Clayten told her he is a single father and helping a family in need would be a teachable moment for his son, adding that it is "just what people do”.
"I'm thinking to myself, ‘No that's not what people do because it's hard to find good people, good genuine people who want to serve and help others,’" Ms Fink told KNXV-TV.
Mr Clayten took to Facebook to share the exchange he had with Ms Fink and encouraged his friends to help out the Jakeman family.
He also set up a fundraiser on Facebook and got in contact with Armer Foundation for Kids, who can further assist the family.
A friend of the Jakeman family has also set up a GoFundMe fundraiser to help pay future medical bills.
“I was blown away. He doesn’t know us or Abby at all and the fact he not only offered to help but actually backed that offer with action is amazing,” Mrs Jakeman told Yahoo.
"I told Bill, 'I don't know if you believe in God or not, but I believe you were sent here to help this family.' I told him he was an angel," Ms Fink told KNXV-TV.
Noah is doing better, his mother says, but he has a long way to go to recovery. She said that she is making plans with Mr Clayten so he can meet Noah.
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