A tale of struggle and sadness took on Christmas miracle proportions this week, thanks to the helpful staff at Bradford Regional Medical Center.
A young lady struggling to stay warm ventured into the main vestibule of BRMC Tuesday and approached the concierge desk and Robbie Yonushonis, who was working at the time.
“I have had this job for six years, and I have developed a sort of sixth sense about people in that time,” Yonushonis said. “She asked for a specific person, and that person was not there. I asked if anyone else could help her. I knew this young lady was in peril.”
Rather than considering her job done, Yonushonis knew this visitor was in need of more than information. She began a discussion with the young woman and found out she had been living homeless in Bradford for over a month, visiting businesses during the day for warmth and sleeping wherever she could at night.
A visit to a friend had gone drastically wrong, leading to the woman’s situation. After discussing her struggle with Yonushonis, the young woman asked the right question,
“Is there anyone here who can help me get home?”
Home turned out to be a town south of Bradford, where her husband and two young girls were hoping for her return. Filled with sympathy for a young woman struggling with the elements, wearing the only clothes she had and with no money in her pockets, Yonushonis made a phone call. From there, the amazing and generous spirit of the hospital staff began to work its magic.
The request for help led to an outpouring of generosity, providing the young woman with comfort in the form of food and clean clothes, followed by transportation home where she belonged.
The first stop for this down-on-her-luck young woman was the cafeteria, where a meal voucher was used and lunch was purchased. Therapists in the Behavioral Health unit were tasked with finding out bus schedules and ticket information to where the woman lived.
In the meantime, a call was made to Destinations, and arrangements were made for clean clothes for the woman to wear.
The next gift for the young woman was a trip to Upbeat, where the locker room was opened and the young woman was given the chance to shower for the first time in a very long time. A nurse manager in the hospital provided toiletries and a towel and a set of scrubs was contributed by Surgical Services, allowing the woman to relax in clean clothes until the outfit could be picked up from Destinations.
Following the shower, a change in the young woman’s demeanor was very apparent. Her joy at being clean and comfortable could be felt by those around her.
Helpful BRMC staff provided a phone and allowed the woman to call home, talking to her husband and letting him know she would be coming home and would need a ride from the bus.
When Yonushonis completed her shift at the concierge desk, she continued her participation in this Christmas miracle.
“I went to Destinations to get the clothing and also stopped to pick up some gifts for her two girls, with tears in my eyes the whole time,” she admitted. “It was a very emotional experience. I thought of the family I have coming in this weekend and how blessed I am.”
Thanks to a helpful BRMC staff member, this young woman received a ride to the bus stop. A ticket was purchased and the bus driver greeted her warmly. She boarded the bus with gifts for her children in hand and returned to her family.
Throughout the course of the experience, the young woman expressed her amazement and appreciation for what was happening. As she boarded the bus, her excitement to be heading home could be easily seen.
A month-long struggle in freezing temperatures and snow had come to an end. A family was reunited, just in time for Christmas.
“I hope she is having a very good Christmas with her family. I feel bad she didn’t make her way here sooner,” Yonushonis noted. “It breaks my heart to think of her away from her husband and kids for so long.”
