Elderly Woman Shelters Homeless Man, Then She Sees Him Sneaking into Her Room — Story of the Day

An old lady decided to let a homeless man live in her home, but she was startled to see him sneaking into her room one night.

Jen is a lonely woman in her 70s. Her husband, James, passed away in a car accident that also claimed the life of their only son, Sam, a couple of years back.

Coping with the loss of her husband and child was difficult for Jen because no one knew how to comfort her. In the first couple of days after she had to identify their bodies, she was too devastated to get out of bed at all.

Friends and family from all over the country came to comfort her, and they joined her for the burial ceremony of James and Sam. The day they were laid to rest, Jen spent the entire day crying, and the pain just wouldn't leave her.

Jen was devastated by the loss of her husband and son. | Photo: Shutterstock

After trying to be there for Jen, her friends who traveled miles to be with her left to go home. Although they tried their best, Jen was inconsolable and wanted to be left alone.

It took weeks until Jen was comfortable enough to leave her home. Whenever she did, she'd go straight to church. One day, she had an eye-opening conversation with her pastor, Joseph Freeman.

"I'm happy to see you in church, Jen," Joseph told her. The two had been friends since Jen and her family moved to Austin.

"I'm glad I get to come here, pastor. I never got to thank you and Maryann for constantly checking on me."

Jen and Pastor Joseph share a close friendship with one another. | Photo: Pexels

"It's no problem at all, Jen. I'm sure Maryann would be offended if she heard you thanking us for something we should be doing without notice," he replied.

"I miss them a whole lot," Jen suddenly says after a moment of silence.

Joseph nodded. "I know you do. But some things just need to happen. God has a plan for us, even though we can't understand it."

"I've been trying to accept that, but losing them both at the same time has made me question my faith. In all honesty, pastor, I'm here to try and fix that." Jen admitted. They spent the next couple of hours talking to one another, and the church became Jen's outlet to try and cope with her loss.

Jen tried to cope with her loss by talking to Pastor Joseph | Photo: Pexels

Every Sunday, Jen would attend mass, sitting in the front pew. One day, she noticed a man among the usual church congregation. While he had kind eyes, he looked almost ill. After that day, Jen made a mental note to bring him some food every time she went.

After giving him food a couple of times, Jen asked pastor Joseph about the man. "Oh, he's an orphan who has been having trouble finding a job because of some health problems," he responded.

Jen felt sorry for the man, so she told pastor Joseph that if there was anything else she could do, she would be happy to help. Ultimately, the pastor let her know that the man was actually sleeping in the church storage area the entire time.

Jen wanted to help out the man she kept seeing in church. | Photo: Pexels

"The place is not hygienic and is not comfortable at all. I'm sure he would appreciate having a warm and dry place to sleep at night." It was a no-brainer for Jen to let the man in. After all, she has spare rooms, and she would love to share one with a fellow believer.

The following day, arrangements were made for the man, who turned out to be 21, to move in with her. The young man named Seth cooked food with Jen and watched TV after their meal. It was something that Jen and her son used to do together.

Things were perfect, and they got along really well. Until one night, Jen woke up from her sleep after hearing an unusual noise getting close. She lay in her bed with bated breath, waiting to hear what it was once more before calling 911.

Pat was worried about an intruder walking towards her room. | Photo: Pexels

After a couple of seconds, she heard another creak on the staircase leading to her room. Amidst the darkness, she saw a man entering her room, and she knew then and there that it was Seth.

Nervous, Jen couldn't help but wonder if he was there to kill her. She laid there quietly, hoping that he would not hear her beating heart. Seth crept up to the side of her bed, where he just stood there for a couple of minutes. She was frightened, but she wondered if all Seth was waiting for was for her to wake up.

After a while, Seth took something out of his pocket and slipped it under Jen's pillow. After doing that, he left. Jen sat straight up and looked under her pillow. Much to her surprise, she found a pendant that had a painting of an angel.

Seth left Jen with his late mother's pendant necklace. | Photo: Pexels

The following day, as he crept towards the door, Jen said, "I found the pendant you left me." He froze as soon as he heard her and looked back. "Did you really think I wouldn't figure out it was you who snuck into my room to place this under my pillow?" she asked.

He let out an awkward laugh. "I guess not," he said.

"Look at you all flustered. You don't have to leave if you have no place to stay yet, you know. Thank you for the pendant." Jen gave him a reassuring smile.

"That pendant used to be my mother's. She may be gone, but you remind me of her. I would love for you to have it. This angel will be your guide the same way you are a guardian to me, Miss Gifford."

Jen found a son in Seth, who saw her as a mother figure. | Photo: Pexels

While Jen lost her family, she found a son in Seth, whom she could now take care of. He remained with her for two years until he could afford his own place. Despite him moving out, they always kept in touch.

Jen and Seth lived together for two years, and kept in touch even after he moved out. | Photo: Pexels

What does this story teach us?

• If you can, help others out. You will be rewarded more than you expect. Jen helped Seth by giving him a home and providing him with affection as he tried to get back up on his feet. In return, Seth provided Jen with his company and became a mother figure again.
• Take, but also give. Seth was an orphan who needed help to get up on his feet. When Jen took him in, he was grateful for what she did. To prove this, he gave her a gift that he valued, which belonged to his late mother. This deepened their relationship and led them closer to one another.

If you loved this heartwarming story, here's another one about a woman who forged a friendship with a homeless man she ignored for three years.

This account is inspired by our reader's story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.