The Man in the Neck Brace
I wasn’t planning on being moved that day. I was just hungry.
The drive-thru line at your Rockville Rd. location in Indianapolis stretched around the building, so I parked and headed inside, hoping to save a few minutes. I didn’t expect to find something that would stay with me far longer than a lunch combo.
At the counter stood a young man wearing a neck brace and a sling—clearly in pain, clearly healing. And yet, just as clearly, working.
He greeted me with a warm smile and a steady voice. No bitterness. No complaints. Just a man doing his job, showing up despite it all.
I had to ask. I couldn’t just place my order like everything was normal.
He told me his name was Jakeem Tyler, and just days earlier, he had been in a car accident. His injuries weren’t minor, but he came to work anyway—because he needed the money. But that wasn’t the part that stopped me in my tracks.
He said, “I want to use the money to feed the homeless for Christmas.”
That sentence hit me harder than I expected. This young man, in pain, working through discomfort, wasn’t just thinking about himself. He wasn’t asking for sympathy or help. He was simply doing what he could for others—because that’s what he believed was right.
I walked out of that restaurant with more than just a meal. I walked out inspired.
Since then, I’ve spoken with a few friends. We’re organizing a donation—to help Jakeem and his cause. To support his mission to feed those who need it most, even as he pushes through pain of his own.
And I’m writing now with a question. Maybe even a hope.
Would your company be willing to match our contribution?
Or better yet—would you sponsor his project this Christmas? Provide the meals, the drinks, the support?
Because employees like Jakeem aren’t just valuable.
They’re extraordinary.
They remind us all what it means to serve, to care, and to give.
I don’t know if Jakeem will ever be on a billboard or featured in a campaign, but in my eyes, and likely in the eyes of the people he wants to feed, he’s already a hero.
And heroes deserve a little help now and then.
