Dear Editor,
I live in the Englerston area and recently I saw Dr. Duane Sands on a walking tour in my area. I was impressed and wondered what was going on.
When I approached Sands, he told me that he was there to see one of his friends - whom I later discovered that he helps to take care of every week, along with his 97-year-old mother - and to hail one of his former patients who he had befriended over the years and who is a paraplegic.
Hearing this, I said I would walk along and see if Sands knew where he was going and what he was talking about. Lo and behold, he enters the gate of his friend, a man who we all know in our community and both that man and his mother greeted him with a flair that was so heart-warming.
He likewise walked towards them grinning, hugging, exchanging pleasantries and inquiring about their day-to-day welfare. I, along with a couple of the boys, watched from across the road as Sands sat and chatted with the gentleman and his elderly mom before leaving an hour later.
As I watched Sands leave the yard, I figured he would walk to his jeep and drive of. But no. He went across the road and through another street to hail his friend, a local businessman who had been his patient many years ago after being shot in his back and losing his ability to walk. When Sands entered the yard, everyone was overjoyed and greeting him with a familiarity that cannot be faked.
I trailed along and watched when he entered the house and listened to the greetings and laughter coming from that gentleman's room window. I was impressed and then started to wonder about how I had never seen another person involved in frontline politics do that outside of election season.
The thing about it, as Sands walked around, some people would ask him for $1, $5 and $10 and he always tried to dig in his pocket to show kindness to those less fortunate. When he got back to his vehicle, he met a man cleaning it and instead of running him away or being upset, Sands was so impressed with this man's entrepreneurial spirit that he gave him $20. That man - my good friend - was too excited and grateful and said he only took a chance to clean the vehicle, as he felt it needed a "wipe down" and he knew that Sands would not discourage him from seeking to make an honest living. He sought to empower this young man, helping to encourage him by his words and deeds to continue to strive to make an honest living.
Let me say this, humility and caring for people can never be faked. And Duane Sands illustrated that a week ago to all and sundry, without any press around or anyone seeking to make him look good. I could not just see such goodheartedness and not speak about it. Sands, I respect you sir, and wherever you campaign, I am coming to support you. It's men like you who still give people like me hope!
- Andy "Smackie" Jackson

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