LAST WEEK, I RECEIVED a call from Hemphill County Deputy Oscar Ortega that my elderly cousin and her husband were lost and needed help. I was confused because they live in Temple, Texas—some 400 miles south of Canadian.

Apparently, three days earlier they set out to pay bills in Temple and simply got lost. Not only were they 400 miles from home, they were out of money and needed help.

Officer Ortega contacted the Canadian Methodist Church. Julene Castillo so graciously secured a room at the FairBridge Inn until we arrived the next day. Meanwhile, Officer Ortega went to a store and bought food and a phone charger and delivered them back at the hotel—above and beyond the call to duty to “Serve and Protect.”

All of this was accomplished before I ever knew they were lost and missing!

Everyone reading this knows this could have gone so wrong in so many ways. However, because of the help from so many in your community, it had a good ending. My heartfelt thank you to everyone involved. They are safe at home now, with limited access to their car. 

MIKE HINNENKAMP