By Marla Jones
Managing Editor
GERALDINE, Ala.- On March 13, 2023, the Town of Geraldine issued Proclamation 2023-3-13 which was the establishment of Hody Childress Day. The Proclamation reads as follows:
NOW, all in our hearing are invited to support in your actions, or in your heart, the proclamation of April 24 as Mr. Hody Childress Day in Geraldine and all places where people care in a meaningful way for the welfare of their fellow man.
WHEREAS: It is an established fact that many of modest means, especially the elderly, often periodically skip or reduce their life-sustaining medications for economic reasons
WHEREAS: It is widely recognized that Medicaid is often under-funded, a fact which often has a negative impact on the most vulnerable among us
WHEREAS: Approximately one-fourth of Americans are “medication at-risk” due to inadequate personal finances
WHEREAS: In a beautiful expression of the values of his upbringing, Mr. Hody Childress took care to address this known threat to the lives of his neighbors by self-funding an anonymous support system in association with Geraldine Drugs pharmacist Brooke Walker to help subsidize the prescription medication needs of his community.
WHEREAS: In casting his bread upon the waters, the generous beneficence of Mr. Childress has inspired numerous others across the nation to follow his lead in supporting prescription medicines for the needy of their communities.
NOW, therefore be it proclaimed far and wide that hereafter April 24th be known as Hody Childress Day. May his selfless generosity and dear care for his fellow citizens be multiplied and continue forevermore. To paraphrase poet George Bernard Shaw, “Some people see the world as it is and ask why?” Mr. Childress created an innovative solution to a problem and asked, “Why not?” Let us all commemorate Mr. Hody Childress Day by some act of support for those less fortunate by paying forward our love for our community and others.
This proclamation is duly passed by the Geraldine Town Council and signed by the Mayor of Geraldine, the Honorable Chuck Ables. Done this 13th day of March 2023.
The children of Hody Childress celebrated his birthday and his special day in Geraldine on Tuesday. Siblings Tania Nix and Doug Childress gave out $5 bills randomly in Geraldine. The sister and brother then cooked hotdogs for over a hundred people who came out to honor the quiet hero of Geraldine and to spread random acts of kindness to others.
Hody Childress died at the age of 80 on New Year’s Day. It was only, near the end of his life, that Childress, informed his family of his random acts of kindness of paying for medication costs for those who could not afford it. His story is one that has been told across the United States and in foreign countries. The Childress family has interviewed with over 50 different news organizations. Hody Chilress’s story is a story that needs to be told, every chance you get. Southern Torch would like to reshare the remarkable story of Hody Childress in honor of his special day that was celebrated on Tuesday, April 24.
Nearly a decade ago, Hody Childress walked into Geraldine Drugs and took Brooke Walker, Owner, and Pharmacist, to the side. He asked if she knew anyone who was struggling to pay for their medicine. This is the story of Hody Childress in Brooke Walker’s own words.
“The legacy of Hody Childress and the individuals that he has taken care of in our town is a story that I’ve wanted to share for a long time.
Yet, I promised Hody that I would keep that between us. I wondered who else knew, but knowing him- very few.
He started this “donation account” around 7-8 years ago if my memory serves me right. He came in one day and asked if there were ever times when someone couldn’t get their medication due to financial reasons. And I told him yes- many times.
Ever since that day, he would bring me cash- always monthly- sometimes more often. It was always a folded-up $100 bill, but sometimes more. Even in the later months when he wasn’t feeling well, he would send someone to me. They would hand me money and say, “Hody said you would know what to do with this.”
In the beginning, I was keeping it in an envelope because I thought it was a one-time donation. Then, he returned the next month…and the next…and the next. After we moved, I decided we needed to create a safer way to keep up with it because it would sometimes build up to a large amount before someone needed it. We decided to make it a computer account; I wanted to be able to see every transaction and have an electronic record.
He told me he never wanted anyone to know where the money came from when it was given. He also didn’t want to know how it was used. He told me to use my judgment. We always told the receiver, “This is from someone that felt led by God to help another”. We left it at that.
The very first time I used it for someone, I called and told him what a blessing it had been to that family. Again, he told me he didn’t want to know who received it. He just told me to do what I felt led to. It felt like a lot of pressure that he trusted me with that.
I always did my best to follow God’s tug on my heart. I never allowed it to be used for things such as pain medication- only antibiotics, life-sustaining medication, or urgent care situations.
I told Michelle Stuart at the clinic about the account and a friend that works in pediatrics. On occasion, they will call on me when they have someone in need.
Some of my biggest blessings in that pharmacy have come through that account.
There once was a young, single mom. She and her daughter both needed medication that her insurance didn’t cover. There were no alternatives. When I handed her the medication with the receipt attached, she started crying. That’s not even the best part. Several months later, she returned to pay it forward. She wanted money added back to the account. She didn’t have to do that, nor did I want her to do that…but she had a desire to help others in difficult situations. I believe that Hody sparked that in her heart and that she will carry that forward her entire life. He was creating a ripple effect, and he didn’t even realize this.
And since then, I’ve had others do the same. They also return to pay it forward.
There have been two occasions when I used that money for something other than medication. Hody never gave me limits; I’m sure he intended it for medication. However, there were two specific situations in that I could not ignore the calling to help. Respecting his wishes, I never told him about these situations.
The first one was a female that was in an abusive relationship. She was trying to get back on her feet and seemed to be in a desperate situation. She was not a follower of Christ, and I felt compelled to tell her that there is hope in Christ. I gave her $100 in cash and told her it was the work of the Holy Spirit. My prayer is that it planted a seed.
The second scenario was one of my favorite moments. It was Christmas Eve Eve years ago. A long-time customer that I adored came in to get medication. He was an elderly gentleman who despite having a difficult home situation always came in with a smile on his face. In ten years, I had never seen him in less than a cheerful mood. This time was different. He and his wife were caring for their special needs adult son. I asked if he was ready for Christmas, and he almost teared up as he shared his difficulties. His wife had recently broken her hip. He was trying to cook, clean, care for their son, care for her and keep the laundry up. He asked if I knew anyone selling a used washer/dryer because theirs had stopped working. His heart was so heavy that night.
He was our last customer, and we closed the store. I could not get him off of my mind. I first began researching Facebook for a set, but I also knew it would be difficult for him to load/unload with no help. I finally went to Lowe’s website and priced the cheapest set with delivery. I didn’t know if Hody would be okay with this, but regardless of if the money came from my personal account or the donation account, I was not going to go to sleep knowing that he needed help and had no one to turn to for it. I checked the donation balance. It had more than it had ever had (likely because I had been on maternity leave), and I knew it was the right thing to do.
I looked up his address and drove to his house. When I got to his home, his wife yelled for me to come inside. She was laying on the couch with her broken hip and her special needs son was watching cartoons beside of her. She told me he was gone to the pharmacy and the grocery store. I drove to Foodland with a mission to find him, and there he stood with his grocery cart. He initially thought I was just shopping as well and looked a little stunned to see me. I handed him an envelope that said, “I have watched you take care of everyone around you for years, and here is something to make life a little easier on you this Christmas. God bless you.” I told him it was not from me, but from an anonymous donor that wishes to spread God’s love by helping others.
As I walked away, he stood speechless in the milk aisle still trying to process what was happening to him. He thanked me multiple times after that night, and I know it had a huge impact on him.
I kept an eye on our donation account to make sure I hadn’t taken money for medicine away. Since the day the account was started, it has never once gotten to zero.
We have used it for sick children, patients just getting out of the hospital, kids needing Epi-Pens for allergic reactions, and families in between insurances. I can’t begin to tell you the amount of families that he has supplied not only medications but hope in Christ when they needed it most. And I am forever grateful to Hody for entrusting me with that task.
Hody also played a role in the love and compassion that I have for the town of Geraldine. I won’t go into great detail over that, but over the years, I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of some wonderful advice that will stick with me for as long as I am behind that counter.
Hody was not just a good man. He was a great man. I wish I had told him how much he meant to me…how much his actions and faith affected my life…and how blessed I was to know him” concluded Walker.”
We all need to strive to be the quiet hero in someone’s life. If you would like to continue the random act of kindness of Hody Childress, you can mail a donation to P O Box 158 Geraldine, Al 35974.
