GLENDALE, Arizona — It was probably the last thing Christina Reynolds expected.
On Monday, June 22, as Reynolds collected trash in the parking lot of the 76 gas station at 51st and Olive Avenues where she worked, she didn’t notice the man who walked into the station. She also didn’t notice the man take the money from her personal belongings behind the counter.
“I go back into the gas station and lo and behold, he took $1,000 of my paycheck,” Christina Reynolds said. “I just barely, the night before, cashed both my paychecks. I only paid my aunt rent and I was at a loss, and I kind of freaked out.”
So, Reynolds did what most people would do: She called the police.
GLENDALE POLICE SHOW UP
Officer Jacob Mabe was assigned the call of a theft at the 76 station. When he arrived, he encountered Reynolds, who told him what happened. As Officer Mabe was filling out a report, he was struck with her response to the theft.
As Reynolds tells it, life wasn’t easy for her. She suffered from a 30-year drug habit, nine of those years she spent homeless.
“I’ve done things that I’ve not been very proud of,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds shared with Officer Mabe that she had been 14-months sober at that point, renting a room from her aunt and taking courses to become a full-time caregiver to her disabled cousin.
She knew there was little chance of getting her money back and started to focus on how to move forward.
“She shared her story with me, talked about how she had pulled herself up, always tries to help other people,” said Officer Jacob Mabe. “When she said that she felt like this was karma for things that happened to her in the past, it just didn’t really seem right.”
That’s when Officer Mabe decided she deserved a little extra help.
EVERYONE PITCHED IN
Officer Mabe contacted a few other officers that he worked with. Mabe explained the situation and the four of them got to work.
As some of the Officers contacted Angles on Patrol, a police organization that connects community members with needed resources.
Officer Ashley Thompson got in touch with a contact at Walmart, who donated the $1,000 that was stolen from Reynolds.
As the officers put together the money, Angles on Patrol supplied some gift cards for Reynolds to buy groceries.
“We told the officers that we will cover her rent, we will help her with some gift cards,” said Melinda Cardena, the Executive Director for Angles on Patrol, who was surprised that the officers already raised the money.
“This is something we are blessed to see every single day; officers reaching into their own pocket. We were just happy that they included us and we were able to help Christina.”
The Officers and Cardena visited Reynolds later that day with a gift she was not expecting.
“I don’t know what else to say other than, 'You are angels.' You were angels and thank you so much for verifying that I’ve been making the right decisions in my life.”
It was important for Officer Mabe to let Reynolds know that she was on the right path. He told her that losing the money to a thief wasn’t her karma. Her karma was having the money returned to her. Positive karma for the choices she’d made over the past year or so of helping others.
“To hear her gratitude and get to see the expression on her face, how happy she is… it’s amazing.” Officer Mabe said.
Officer Thompson echoed those sentiments. “It was honestly amazing. [That’s] was why we do what we do every day.”
A POSITIVE CHANGE
Just one month away from that inspirational encounter with Glendale Police, Reynolds’ life has completely changed. She received the certification that she worked hard for and now works full-time caring for her cousin, who was shot and paralyzed in 2017.
“I think that was a real eye-opener for her because she’s already the type of person who lives for others,” said Keaudra Neal, Reynolds’ cousin. “She helps me stay afloat and stay happy. She’s a positive vibe.”
Neal describes Reynolds as a blessing in her life and praises the officers who blessed Reynolds.
According to their website, Angles on Patrol helps roughly 2,300 people like Christina Reynolds every year across the Valley. Along with the Glendale Police Department, this is the story of just one of the lives they touched.