100-Year-Old Crime Victim Calls Cops, Makes New Friends

HAYWARD, CA — Meet Maybelle. This lovely and, dare we say, youthful looking woman is 100 years old. She recently ran into a bit of hard luck, but she transformed that hard luck into two beautiful new friendships. Perhaps that's the secret to living to 100?

As the Hayward Police Department tells the story in a social media post, Maybelle was having lunch at her favorite sandwich place recently when her purse was stolen. In it were her keys, credit cards, checks, and cash. Of course, the police were called.

That's when Reserve Officer Chris Constantin and Reserve Officer Edward Galetti entered Maybelle's life. They, along with Officer Jessenia Torres, came to Maybelle's side in her time of need. Officer Torres arranged for Maybelle’s car to be taken to a Honda dealership — yes, Maybelle still drives — where Reserve Officers Constantin and Galetti worked with the dealership to have a new key made and helped Maybelle cancel her credit cards and checks.

The story doesn't end there. The three officers took Maybelle back to her home, bringing sandwiches that they all shared. Maybelle proudly showed the officers her paintings. She retired as an art teacher in 1976.

That's still not the end of the story. Living a long life has many rewards, but one of the challenges is that Maybelle has outlived her family. Since originally coming to her aid, Reserve Officers Constantin and Galetti have regularly stopped by to visit Maybelle. As the Hayward PD said in its post, "It’s the least we could do for an artist, a teacher, and a wonderful Hayward resident."

In less than 24 hours, the story of Maybelle has received some three dozen comments on the Facebook post, including from people who had Maybelle as a teacher and remember her fondly. But mostly, the comments were from people grateful for police officers who rise above duty to show genuine human kindness.

-Image via Hayward Police Department, Photo permission given by Lt. Puente

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