00:00While an elderly gentleman was trying to go down the escalator in a Massachusetts mall,
00:04a young black man approached him. He didn't realize he was being watched when he grabbed
00:08the old man's arm, but it was all caught on camera. Paula Picard just happened to be in
00:13the right place at the right time to capture a young man's discreet deed. She had been shopping
00:18at Hollyoak Mall in Ingleside when an 83-year-old man was cautiously inching toward the escalator
00:24leading to the lower level, likely concerned with how quickly the conveyor was moving.
00:29Instantly recognizing his vulnerability, the young man made a beeline to the pensioner.
00:33He hadn't suspected anyone would see what he planned to do with the elderly man,
00:38but Picard and several other bystanders were there to witness the event.
00:41Just before the old man could step onto the escalator, 23-year-old Alonzo Johnson
00:47stepped up beside him and extended his arm, offering to escort the gentleman down the moving steps.
00:53The older man was paused at the top of an escalator and a few people started gathering
00:57waiting to get on. It was clear he was feeling unsure and this young man offered the simplest
01:02kindness. An outreached arm and a can I help you on, sir, Paula Picard wrote.
01:08The elderly man embarrassingly explained to Johnson that he had tried to use an escalator
01:12before, telling him, I'm 83 years old. I shouldn't be afraid, but I got scared,
01:18Picard told Mass Live. However, Johnson had nothing but compassion to offer.
01:22He quietly started to explain to the young man that he had gotten stuck on an escalator
01:27once and was a little scared. The young man gently offered an assurance. They looked at each other
01:32eye to eye for just a moment, and the older man accepted his arm. Everyone else remained patient.
01:38So, so sweet to witness, she continued. The old man clung to Johnson as he stepped onto the escalator
01:44one foot after the other, steadying himself against the young gentleman. To his delight,
01:49he made it to the lower level in no time, thanking Johnson before going on his way.
01:54He looked very afraid and I thought maybe I could help, Johnson told US Weekly. I told him,
01:59and he did. He looked very nice, I said, you look nice. Johnson explained that he is humbled by the
02:06attention his kind deed has garnered on social media, but adds that anyone can make a difference
02:11in someone else's life with a small act of kindness. Such a simple act can really make a change,
02:16he said. Alonzo Johnson accredited his mother with instilling kindness and service in him from a young
02:22age. I definitely believe in God. My mom has me going to church, but my mom is the reason for
02:28all
02:29of this. My mom always tells us to be nice and do the right thing. You never know who's watching.
02:35It's really the way I was brought up and how I was raised, he said. In conclusion, Paula Picard
02:41concurred that the media would have us focus on our differences. However, she hopes the story will
02:46remind everyone that we are more than what divides us. In about an hour, the evening news will air and
02:52will be reminded of division, race wars, political mudslinging, shootings and other heartaches. But
02:57today, violence, race, age, politics and other social lines were blurred and one person simply
03:03helped another, she wrote. Johnson hopes that his deed will inspire others to go out of their way to
03:08help those in need. Even something as simple as escorting someone down an escalator can brighten
03:13their day or perhaps even change their outlook on life. It is human nature to recognize differences
03:19in others, especially when they are as visible as that of Johnson and the elderly gentleman he helped.
03:24Still, if we can look past those characteristics and see the humanity that unites us, it's a lot
03:30easier to put those differences aside and love our fellow man.
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