José Fernández was a workaholic and worked tirelessly to drive his organic food business forward.
He never married or dated and only cared about his business. But he was also a kind person and never hesitated to help someone in need.
On one of his usual workdays, José was on his way to the office when he noticed a little girl selling flowers on the street. The infant was sitting next to a large green board with the names of flowers and their prices and a banner that read:
«Brighten your day with these flowers, and your help can brighten mine.»
Every time Jose crossed that street, he saw that the girl was there. Unfortunately, no one paid attention to her and she rarely sold anything.
The man always wanted to help her, and one day he got his chance. Mrs. Contreras, the oldest janitor in his office, was retiring that day. He wanted to give her something, and thought a bouquet of flowers would be a great idea.
That day passed and he asked the girl to prepare a bouquet of flowers for him.
«Hello,» he said, smiling, as he approached her. «Could you make me a bouquet of fresh roses?».
Joseph noticed that the girl did not raise her head and was constantly looking at the same spot on the ground.
«Thank you for buying my flowers,» she said, tilting her head slightly in his direction. «Can you choose the flowers yourself and bring them to me? I’ll tie them up. Sorry, I can’t see.»
Joseph’s smile faded.
«Oh, I had no idea…. I’m sorry,» he said as he chose the flowers and handed them to her.
The little girl reached for a sheet of cellophane paper and a ribbon at her side, and without looking, she made a beautiful bouquet for Jose.
«Here,» she said, extending the bouquet. «That’ll be five dollars.»
Jose was amazed at the girl’s skills.
«Wow, that’s beautiful, don’t you see anything?» he asked as he placed the money in the hat next to her.
The girl replied, «No. Thank you again for the bouquet. By the way, what’s your name?»
«I’m Carla, and I’m 10 years old. I hope you liked the flowers. Please come for more.»
Jose smiled at her innocence.
«I love them, Carla. They are beautiful. Thank you. I’m Jose, by the way. It was nice to meet you,» he said and left.
The next day, Jose was on his way to work and decided to have a quick chat with Carla before he went in. He was curious as to why a girl like her was selling flowers on the street.
He had intended to ask her about it the day before, but he was running late for Mrs. Contreras’ retirement party, so he left in a hurry.
However, that morning, when he was walking down the street, he did not see Carla in her usual place. He assumed she was running late and decided to meet her the next day, but she didn’t show up for several days in a row.
Jose feared that something horrible had happened to her. He asked nearby stores and homeless people resting nearby if they knew anything about Carla, but unfortunately nothing was heard.
Jose was really worried. He prayed for Carla’s well-being and for the chance to find her soon. Fortunately, his prayers were answered one day on his way to work — Carla had returned to the site with her flowers!
Joseph could not suppress his joy at seeing her and ran to her. However, when he saw her condition, his smile disappeared.
Carla was very thin, pale and her clothes were dirty. She looked like she hadn’t eaten or washed in weeks. He approached her in concern.
«Carla, what happened to you, where did you disappear to? I’m Jose, do you remember me?»
«Jose? The one buying roses?» she asked.
«Yes, that’s me!» he replied.
«I remember you… Very few people buy flowers from me, so I never forget them. Would you like to take roses again?»
«No, Carla. I was worried about you. You haven’t been here for days. Is everything all right? You look weak.»
«Well, I guess I’m fine,» she said sadly. «Last week, Mom fell on the floor and I had to take care of her alone. Daddy left my mother and me when I was a baby. Mommy says we have no one, so we have to take care of each other. I couldn’t come to sell the flowers because I was too tired. Y…»
«And?» asked José.
«My mommy is very sick. She needs to be operated on. That’s why I started selling flowers. She used to sell them, but she had an accident and now she is sick and in bed. I have to work and earn money for her.»
As he listened to Carla speak, José’s eyes filled with tears. He couldn’t believe that a 10-year-old girl had been through so much. He knew he had to help her.
«Hey, Carla,» he said. «Did you know you can’t work if you don’t eat right? Let’s go get something. How about some sandwiches and a smoothie, how about that?»
«But what about my flowers? Where do I keep them?» she asked.
«You can keep them in my car, is that okay with you?» he replied.
«Okay, thanks!» said Carla as she followed Jose on her cane.
Jose took her to a restaurant and the girl ate as if she hadn’t eaten in years. He then took her back to her home, where he met her mother, Jazmin, who was in a wheelchair.
Jose realized the deplorable conditions they were living in and felt he had to do something to help them. So that night, he created a GoFundMe page to help them. But the page wasn’t just for Jazmin’s surgery.
When Jose went to see Jazmin and Carla, he discovered that Carla’s eyes needed surgery so she could see again. He also looked at a couple of paintings in her home and realized that the girl was a brilliant painter.
So when Jose created the GoFundMe page, he highlighted in the description that they could save two precious lives if people were generous enough to donate. He also shared a couple of photos of Carla with her artwork on Facebook to give it more reach, along with the donation link.
Still, Jose was skeptical that his idea would work. He had set aside a considerable sum to help them, but the total cost of the surgeries would be much higher, and he wasn’t sure he could raise the necessary amount.
However, when he woke up the next morning to check on the donations, he couldn’t believe his eyes! People had fallen in love with Carla’s paintings, and several people suggested she start an Instagram page to promote her work! Plus, the total donations far exceeded Jazmin and Carla’s needs.
When Jose arrived at Carla’s house with the check, Jazmin burst into tears. She was so grateful to Jose for his help and couldn’t stop thanking him.
A week later, Jazmin and Carla’s surgeries were scheduled. Jose visited them regularly at the hospital during the time they were admitted, and he and Jazmin became close friends.
When Carla and Jazmin were discharged, Jazmin and Jose wanted to tell Carla that they wanted to be together as a happy family. And when they told Carla, she was thrilled! She accepted Jose right away and, a month later, Jose and Jasmine were married. But that wasn’t all.
José and Jazmín opened a small flower boutique inspired by the story of how flowers and Carla brought them together.
