LETTERS

A homecoming

to warm the heart

I have always been proud of my 26-year-old son Darrell Butler, (aka "D.J."). He has helped so many accident victims and stray animals on the freeways from the time he has been able to drive.

There are so many wonderful stories to tell about this angel, but this is the most outstanding.

To look at D.J. people would judge him as a tough guy -- tattoos and head shaved. He works for the North Las Vegas Parks Department. Last April he saw a homeless man in one of the parks he was working at and proceeded to give him money. The man, Jack, said he didn't want cash but that he wanted to find his family that he had lost touch with 20 years ago. Jack said he was not well; he had been having chest pains and it was his wish to find the family before he dies.

D.J. got on it right away and tracked his family down in Arkansas. The family couldn't believe it and were so happy and wanted Jack to come home. His sister said she needed time to get him into a nursing home and asked if D.J. could keep an eye on him for a few weeks. D.J. took him to a shelter, bought him clothes, food and even shaved him. D.J. etched his phone number into Jack's belt because Jack's memory was not too good anymore (he is 65 years old).

D.J. wrote Jack's sister's phone number in permanent marker on Jack's arm in case of an emergency. Every few days D.J. would go to the shelter to check on him and after the first week Jack left and went back to the park. D.J. was so upset, but Jack said he didn't like it there. He was not used to people.

That day, D.J. called me and said that we had to get Jack on a plane to go back to Arkansas. That he was so worried about him. Jack had no I.D. so the plane was out of the question. If he took a bus, he had stopovers and Jack said he was afraid he would get lost. D.J. then said, "I will just have to drive him home." He borrowed my car and he, Jack and D.J.'s friend John drove 24 hours straight and reunited Jack with his brothers and sisters. They were in awe to see a total stranger do something so kind for someone.

D.J. still speaks with Jack's family. He is in a nursing home and is doing fantastic. I'm sorry if I go on and on about my son, but I am so very proud of him. I'm enclosing his picture -- he does not know I'm writing to you, so I do not have the pictures he took with Jack and his family.

PATTI BUTLER

Las Vegas

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