By Sabrina Squire - bio | email
Posted by Terry Alexander - email
HENRICO, VA (WWBT) – This week we're giving away three hundred dollars to a Henrico woman who lives the phrase "love thy neighbor." Her longtime friend says whenever someone is sick, hungry or homeless, she's always there. So, he's honoring her with an "Act of Kindness."
"Terry, I mean that's all she's done, if somebody's in bad shape or something, she goes out of her way to try to help him," said Tommy Keith who can't stop gushing about Terry Heath, his friend of more than 30 years.
"She's a good ole country girl," said Tommy. "She's got a heart bigger than you'd ever believe."
He makes me a believer as he reels off one good deed after another, Terry helping a down on his luck dad.
"She's brought groceries for him every week," he said.
Or helping with her terminally ill neighbor.
Tommy Keith: "She spent 24-7 over there with him til the day he died."
Sabrina Squire: "Doing what?"
Tommy Keith: "Nursing him, she been a volunteer rescue squad person for I don't know how many years."
She even rescued Tommy.
"I had nowhere to go when I finished a job, she let me put my camper out behind her house, I been living there almost three years, she helps me a lot," he said.
Now, he wants to pay it forward.
Sabrina Squire: "Well, Tommy, I have 1 hundred, 2 hundred, and 3 hundred dollars for your amazing friend."
Tommy Keith: "Well I appreciate it and I'm sure she will."
So Tommy and I take a walk to Terry's place, since it's just up the street. He tells me the place could use a cash infusion.
"Yeah, things are getting tight round there," he said. "Her work is cutting hours back terrible."
Within minutes we're going through the front gate and up the walkway. Tommy goes inside to bring Terry out, front and center to present the caregiver an appreciation gift.
Tommy Keith: "You open your heart up to so many people, that ah, it's about time, we, you know, we try to do a little something for you. So thanks to Channel 12, a little something to kinda help make your day and your life a little easier. 1 hundred, 2 hundred, 3 hundred dollars and maybe you take it and so something for yourself for a few minutes. It isn't like you don't deserve it."
Terry Heath: (crying) "I don't know what to say."
Then this neighborhood Florence Nightingale gives me the biggest embrace ever and tells me "arms are meant to wrap around someone with a hug." Turns out, Terry has lots to say about giving and living.
"No one should be by themselves and no one should not have a place to go, or call home," she said.
She introduces me to the members of her household, in addition to her husband, their grandkids, Antoine, Ramaris, Jasmine and Harmony. Plus, their furry friends, top dog Bubba and the puppy Britton, she rescued him; along with a scaly gal they call Gladys that someone wanted to throw out.
Terry Heath: "I now have an iguana."
Sabrina Squire: "So anybody anything that needs a home."
Terry Heath: "Yes, 4 legged, two legged, 1 legged, we don't judge by legs. (Laughs)"
Terry doesn't judge, period. She loves.
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