During his visit to Haiti in 2017, Jimmy Amisial heard the cries of a baby coming from a nearby trash can. The infant, who was only four months old, was covered in ants and in excruciating pain. Despite the presence of onlookers, no one stepped forward to help. Amisial, moved by the baby’s distress, couldn’t stand idly by. “Everyone was just staring at him—not a single soul wanted to help,” he recounted. “He was crying and had no clothes on, and I could see the pain in his eyes—I had to do something.” He took the baby home, where he and his mother, Elcie, cleaned and fed him. Although Amisial sought help from authorities to locate the baby’s parents, his efforts were in vain, according to The Daily Mail. Despite her initial shock, Amisial’s mother was determined to do everything she could to ease the infant’s pain and provide him with comfort.
After taking him to the doctor for a check-up, it was discovered that apart from a few ant bites, the baby had not suffered any serious injuries. However, despite investigations, no progress was made in determining the baby’s future. This is where Amisial, a communication and electronic media student at Texas State University, stepped in. Having always been drawn to helping those in need, Amisial requested legal guardianship and named the child Emilio Angel Jeremiah. When Amisial returned to Texas to continue his education, his mother looked after the baby in Haiti. Amisial began traveling back and forth more frequently to spend time with the child. “I’m glad that I got the opportunity to transform his life from being abandoned in the trash to a wonderful treasure,” he said.
Amisial was faced with a difficult decision when he was asked to raise a child. Recalling his own childhood experience of growing up without a father, Amisial stayed awake for days trying to make a decision. He was already struggling to pay for his university fees, and his family had always faced financial difficulties. However, Amisial believed that the child’s uncertain future could change for the better if he took a leap of faith. “Something inside was telling me that this had happened for a reason—so I took a leap of faith. Sometimes, you don’t have to know what to do; you just have to be ready to do it,” he said.
Amisial rescued Jeremiah when he was just a year and a half old and has been taking care of him ever since. Now, Jeremiah is five years old, and Amisial wants to adopt him officially. According to The Mirror, Amisial and Jeremiah share a very close bond, and Amisial loves him as if he were his own child. To complete the adoption process, Amisial needs to raise $60,000. He has started a GoFundMe campaign to reach his goal and make Jeremiah his legal son. Despite the challenges, Amisial feels proud of the past four and a half years and the rewarding experience of watching Jeremiah grow up. He believes that choosing to love is always the right decision and hopes to inspire others to do the same. As he says, “we can do better” by showing love, clarity, and kindness to those who need it most.
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