Cop Stops in to See Lonely Old Man. But after One Look at His Hair, Immediately Calls for Help
A Kentucky cop has taken over guardianship of one of his helpless friends. Sgt. Jon Sterling, a 20-year officer with the Erlanger Police Department, has made it his duty to be a caregiver to his 83-year-old pal, Norm.
The elderly man is a U.S. Navy veteran who once served in the Korean War. Norm now suffers from Dementia and has no one to go to for help, except for his friend Sterling.
The duo first met four years ago when Norm made a 911 call, and ever since then, Sterling and Norm have been inseparable. They’ve mainly connected through political views and their similar eccentric nature.
Sterling has always made an effort to check on Norm as often as he can, but during one cruise through the neighborhood, he noticed that he had some visitors. He decided to stop by to see what was going with his long-time friend.
Social workers were visiting Norm to check on his health. They informed Sterling that his friend’s mental ability was dwindling.
One look at his hair and Sterling could tell that Norm was truly sick. It was unusual for Norm to have long locks, and even his beard was just as long as the hair on his head.
Norm had also lost a lot of weight. He just didn’t look like himself.
The veteran has no friends and no family, so Sterling knew it was time for him to take action. Fox 19 reported that “Sgt. Sterling was recently named Norm’s power of attorney and applied for veteran benefits for him.”
However, it was going to take more than just receiving aid from Veterans Affairs to get him the care he needs. Sterling wanted to move him into a retirement facility, but he didn’t have the funds to do so.
“The good news is that between his Social Security benefits and new veteran benefits he can receive the care he needs,” he wrote in a message on social media, according to Fox 19. “The bad news is that it will cost $5,500 to get him in the door.”
Sterling set up a GoFundMe page for Norm, and it raised more than $9,000 in three days. In an updated video shared to Sterling’s Facebook page moments after he posted the fundraiser, he expressed how delighted he was about everyone’s generous donations.
“Norm received more than what I asked for in less than 24 hours,” Sterling wrote. “A thousand thanks. Norm called me as I was walking in the door home around 6PM. I told him about it and he said I was going to make him cry. THANK ALL OF YOU!”
Moving out of his home will be a little different for Norm, according to Sterling. “It was kind of a shock to his system because he’s lived in the same place for 18 years,” Sterling explained to Inside Edition. “But a lot of these people care and this is a good sign of community support.”
It looks like Norm will be well taken care of thanks to his guardian angel, Sterling. We wish the best for these two as Norm makes his transition into a much more suitable living facility.
UPDATE, May 1, 2019: Jon Sterling posted an update to GoFundme sharing the news of Norm’s passing 13 months ago.
“With a heavy heart I wanted to let all of you know that last night at 11:10 PM Norm Passed away at the age of 84. Me and my wife Angie were with him as he took his last breaths and it’s been a sad morning. Although I am sad because of Norm’s passing I will always be inspired that Norm’s last moments on this planet were made better because everyone here helped me help him. I am forever grateful for that and that I could do something for this great man. Rest in peace Norman. You will be missed.”
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