Parents who see their children enduring hardship or going through a rough patch will stop at next to nothing to help ease their suffering. From going public about bullying to foregoing a meal so their own children can eat, a parent’s unconditional love for their offspring has no equal.
Then there are parents like Paul DiGiacomo, who take it a few steps further than most. His daughter Meghan is addicted to heroin and living on the streets of downtown Boston. Her camp is close to a methadone clinic where she could receive help to overcome her addiction, but she lacks the motivation to quit.
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That’s despite the death of her boyfriend, who she told a reporter died from an overdose last year.
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Until that day comes and she’s willing to reach out, though, her dad has taken a drastic and unconventional measure: He’s set up camp right beside her, sleeping by her side on the sidewalk to ensure she’s protected, supported – and stays alive.
It’s a drastic change from just more than a month ago, when he was living at home with his wife, Julie Chandler.
The couple didn’t know whether Meghan was alive or dead, but one night they happened to see a segment on Anderson Cooper 360 about the opioid epidemic that’s sweeping the nation. And one of the homeless addicts interviewed during the segment, they were shocked to find, was Meghan.
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Not long after that segment aired, Paul packed some belongings and the beloved family dog, then drove from his home to “Methadone Mile,”the downtown area where Meghan had been interviewed. A camera crew from CNN returned two weeks after the initial story aired, and found father and daughter seated side-by-side on the tree-lined sidewalk
“I was literally sleeping here and I woke up to my dog licking my face and I looked, and my dad’s like, ‘Alright, we’re all moved in,’”she said. “I’m like, ‘What are you doing here?’ and he’s like, ‘I’m not leaving until you get help or go to the hospital.â€
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With such a devoted father by her side, Meghan is much more likely to reach out for the help she needs and hopefully overcome her addiction. Watch the video below to hear more about this incredible story of love and devotion, and share if you agree this is one of the greatest acts of love and self-sacrifice you’ve ever heard.
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