MARION, IL (WSIL) -- This week's Unsung Hero is Jessie Wallace from Marion.
A chance encounter in an emergency room led to a lifelong friendship with someone abandoned by his own family and forced to live on the street.
Now, thanks to Jessica he has a new family and a new home.
"I see the security guard go to the front desk and he kind of looks over not panicked but he didn't know what to do and he said hey I have a gentleman at the door but he doesn't speak English," explained Wallace.Ìý
Leading to a lifetime relationship filled with love between two strangers.
Jessie Wallace found out Aurelio Ruiz had been abandoned by his children leaving him homeless diagnosed with pneumonia and without benefits owed to him.
"She's like a guardian angel that found me," said Ruiz.Ìý
Showing love and grace to a man who would've been left on the street, but is now part of a new family.
"Does that restore your faith in humanity? Yes it's a shame we all can't be that way," said family friend Pat Hindman.Ìý
But Jessie didn't stop at helping Ruiz get back on his feet.
His guardian angel is making sure he's being cared for the rest of his life, getting him housing at integrated health in Marion.
"Yes she's an angel that God sent to me," said Ruiz.Ìý
"You're going to make me cry," replied Wallace.Ìý
Now, more than a year after their chance meeting Ruiz is a regular at Wallace family gatherings, even teaching Spanish to Jessie's kids.
"I'm just not going to let him go, I love him and I'm going to protect him and make sure he has family and feels loved and well taken care of as well," said Wallace.Ìý
A chapter in her life of love an grace we could all take a page out of.
"Take care of your family, be humans don't just toss them away. Even if they're sick just take care of them and love them," said Ruiz.Ìý
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