On December 22, 2025, I was driving west on Main Street in Mesa, AZ, heading to the bank near Power Rd. As I approached, I noticed two men on scooters in the roadway within a construction zone. They appeared to be asleep—or passed out—right there in traffic. What seemed like hundreds of cars sped by, and no one seemed to notice. Both men looked to be in their 60s.
I pulled into the bank, parked, and grabbed two of our homeless outreach packs with food, water, and hygiene items, along with my Narcan Rescue Kit. I didn’t know what was going on, but I knew they were in a dangerous situation.
When I reached them, I managed to wake the man in the blue jacket—he was sluggish but able to communicate. Together, we tried to wake his friend in the white jacket. I checked his breathing—thankfully, he was breathing—but I could smell alcohol. I asked if fentanyl was involved but couldn’t understand the answer. For 5–10 minutes, we worked to wake him. His eyes opened a few times, rolled back in his head, and I was about to administer Narcan when he suddenly came to—groggy but responsive. I was relieved I didn’t have to use it, but still unsure what caused this.
Eventually, I got both men to move their scooters to the safety of a nearby sidewalk. During all this time, traffic kept flying by. No one stopped. The only person who did was a woman who wanted to make sure I wasn’t harassing them because I’m white and they were Black. Once she understood I was helping, she left.
As the Executive Director of AZFH, this broke my heart. Two older men, passed out in the road, and I seemed to be the only one who cared enough to stop. Who are we if we don’t look out for our neighbors? These men were clean, on scooters—not what many would assume as “typical homeless.” They could have been sick, had a heart attack—yet three days before Christmas, cars just sped by.
We have got to do better for our community. Compassion should never take a holiday.
Call to Action
- Carry Narcan. It saves lives.
- Keep water and snacks in your car. You never know when you’ll need them.
- Volunteer or donate. Support organizations like AZFH that provide outreach and resources.
- Be the person who stops. A few minutes of your time can change—or save—a life.
👉 Learn more and get involved: http://www.azfamilytothehomeless.com