Rodney Smith: ‘They Couldn’t Take My Joy’
Rodney Smith Jr. attended the Louisiana Book Festival in the U.S. despite a break-in at his van that left two windows shattered and two new lawnmowers stolen.
Mr. Smith — a Bermudian who now resides in the USA and runs the ‘Raising Men & Women Lawn Care Service’ which provides free services to the elderly, persons with disabilities, single parents and veterans — shared his experience in Baton Rouge in a series of social media posts that went viral and appeared in Twitter’s trending section over the weekend.
Mr. Smith tweeted the photos below, saying, “Sadly, I woke up to some heartbreaking news this morning here in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Someone broke into my van overnight, shattered two windows, stole a lawnmower, and ransacked everything inside. It’s honestly heartbreaking and deflating, especially when you’re simply trying to do good and make a difference. I can’t understand why someone would do something like this. I’ve contacted the police, and I’m currently waiting for them to arrive and process the van for fingerprints. Unfortunately, this means I won’t be able to attend the Louisiana Book Festival today as planned. I was really looking forward to meeting everyone and sharing my books, but right now, I’m just trying to process everything that happened.”
Mr. Smith then tweeted, “The Baton Rouge Police Department came by, took photos, and collected my statement. Unfortunately, the Marriott didn’t have security cameras covering the parking lot. There was a small camera near one of the doors, but it didn’t capture anything. In total, two brand new lawnmowers were stolen. These were two that were in there for two kids I had to visit in IA. A few books that aren’t damaged. It’s unfortunate and frustrating, but that’s life. Things happen, and we keep moving forward.
“Many of you have kindly reached out asking how you can help with the cost of replacing the broken windows, and I truly appreciate it. If you’d like to contribute, you can do so through the link below. Thank you all so much for your kindness, generosity, and support. Despite everything, I’m still going to do my best to make it to the Louisiana Book Festival today. I came all this way to share my books and meet everyone, and I refuse to let this unfortunate situation ruin the entire day!
In providing an update, Mr. Smith tweeted, “This morning started with heartbreak after waking up to find my van broken into, two windows shattered, and two lawnmowers stolen. For a moment, I thought I wouldn’t make it to the Louisiana Book Festival. But I reminded myself that one bad moment doesn’t have to ruin an entire day. Despite everything, I made it! Standing here surrounded by the five children’s books I’ve worked so hard to bring to life means more to me today than ever before. They may have taken my lawnmowers, but they couldn’t take my joy, my purpose, or my determination. Thank you to everyone who reached out with love and encouragement. Today, I’m choosing gratitude over frustration.”
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