--- title: 911 Operator Brings Hungry Old Man Groceries description: A 911 operator brought a hungry elderly man groceries when he was too weak to leave the house canonical: https://time.com/3857853/911-operator-elderly-man-groceries-food/ author: Olivia B. Waxman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-13T22:06:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:43:34.837Z og:title: See How a 911 Operator's Good Deed Helped a Struggling Man og:description: Marilyn Hinson went above and beyond og:url: https://time.com/3857853/911-operator-elderly-man-groceries-food/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: See How a 911 Operator's Good Deed Helped a Struggling Man twitter:description: Marilyn Hinson went above and beyond twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # See How a 911 Operator's Good Deed Helped a Struggling Man > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=87830359-e055-4fc2-8670-b3c11f164203&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Richard Hall, Editor | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The informed consumer. A scaled audience of readers who turn to TIME to stay informed and make sense of the world, with meaningful reach across education and research, nonprofits and civic life, media and communications, government and public institutions, and business and professional services. ### TIME The Brief: key statements * The Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * The Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=87830359-e055-4fc2-8670-b3c11f164203&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/subscribe?i=87830359-e055-4fc2-8670-b3c11f164203&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's daily news newsletter? The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=87830359-e055-4fc2-8670-b3c11f164203&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: The Curious Case of Lonni Sue's Amnesia [Watch (HLS stream): The Curious Case of Lonni Sue's Amnesia](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/hXpU2aFn.m3u8) (8:18)  _Published 2013-08-14. Lonni Sue Johnson, an accomplished illustrator suddenly loses memory of her life, friends and family, yet continues her creative life_  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer May 13, 2015 10:06 PM UTC  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer May 13, 2015 10:06 PM UTC When a hungry, elderly North Carolina man called 911 because he didn’t feel well enough to go buy food, one of the operators personally delivered groceries to him, [reports](http://abc11.com/society/elderly-cancer-patient-calls-911-because-he-has-no-food-/718448/) ABC 11 Eyewitness News (WTVD). “I can’t get out of my damn chair,” the recently hospitalized 81-year-old Clarence Blackmon of Fayetteville, N.C., told 911 operator Marilyn Hinson, [according to](http://abc11.com/society/elderly-cancer-patient-calls-911-because-he-has-no-food-/718448/) the news station. He asked if someone could bring him a head of cabbage, cans of beans and beets, popcorn, tomato juice and a soft drink. Hinson not only brought him groceries, but also made him ham sandwiches to save for later. ABC 11 Eyewitness News (WTVD) [reports](http://abc11.com/society/elderly-cancer-patient-calls-911-because-he-has-no-food-/718448/) a home health aide will be coming by to help him keep the refrigerator stocked in the future. ### The Dionne Quintuplets: Little Girls Lost in the Harsh Glare of Fame  A view of the "Dionne Quintuplets" posing in their confirmation dresses on day of their first Holy Communion, 1940. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Writing lesson in nursery schoolroom is the Quins' first exercise in the discipline of formal education. Above (left to right): Cecile, Annette, Emilie, Marie and Yvonne study a word on the blackboard, then duck their heads to print it out. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. From left to right: Cecile, the dilettante, learns easily but loses interest quickly; Yvonne is the leader with initiative; Marie has caught up with her sisters in growth but is still the slowest of the five; Annette has developed the most marked musical talent; Emilie, left-handed, is the prankster. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Tourists pulling up to visit the home of the Dionne Quintuplets, Canada, 1940. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Souvenir store specializing in Dionne Quintuplets merchandise, 1940. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Public . . . files into Dafoe Hospital observation pavilion for quick glimpse of Quins. One-way screens and large signs saying 'Silence' make their presence a minimum distraction for the Quins. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  The Dionne Quintuplets standing around their guardian, Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, 1940. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  (Clockwise from top left) Marie, Emilie, Yvonne, Cecile, Annette Dionne, 1940. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Quins' bare feet explode rumor that they have web toes. Actually one evidence of their identicality is a partial fusion of second and third toes, found only in one in a 1,000 people. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Three of the Dionne Quintuplets playing in the yard of their home/compound, 1940. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Paper cutouts are Marie's favorite means of self-expression. She does them neatly and with great deliberation, here with the indulgent approval of Mme. Gaetane Vezina, governess of the Quins. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Modeling in plasticine and sketching with crayon give Emilie an outlet for her strong sense of color and form. She has here drawn the plan of a house and grounds in colored plasticine strips. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Marie's eyes are examined by Dr. William Hill of Toronto. Her left eye showed improvement, her weaker eye none. She will need glasses Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Quins get up at 7:30 in the morning, dress together in the big bathroom. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  The Dionne Quintuplets sing on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.) radio, 1940. Hansel Mieth—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images ## Transcript { MUSIC ] She lives in a narrow sliver of the present moment. And as the present moment moves on. The moments from before are vanishing. With Lonnie Sue, only, living in the present moments, then what else was there? Memory is fundamental to everything we are. All of your knowledge about who you are, what has happened to you, that's memory. Lonnie Sue has lost her memories of her life. First of all, thank you for listening. [ MUSIC ] Lonni Sue Johnson is my sister. Lonni Sue Johnson is my daughter. Loni Sue had been a top illustrator. She had cover illustration's in the New Yorker Magazine. She did illustrations for the New York Times. At the end of 2007 suddenly she nearly died. Suddenly her chunk got enciphalitis and which left her with profound amnesia and her life changed and our lives changed as well. I like the rhythm of laughter too. [ LAUGH ] Johns Hopkins University comes to our house to do research on Loni Sue. How are you? I'm fine I'm starting to get better. I started working with Lonnie Sue About two years ago, but I, I know she doesn't recognize us. Are you gonna ask any questions? Yeah I'm gonna ask you questions. Lonni Sue's case is very interesting. She very unfortunately has very extensive damage to th Hipparchus, this area of the brain that's crucial for memory. I, as long as you have some awareness, that her memory doesn't work quite right, but she doesn't, she's not fully aware of the extent of the diffuculties she has. A typical day is the dining room table and spilling in to the living room, or his computer equipment, camers, tripods, and there Lonnie Sue is at the table. Babies are so cute. You might expect that someone who had lost so much would be sort of an empty shell of some kind. But nothing could be further from the truth, and that's one of the really fascinating things about, about her. If he had to relearn how to walk, talk, and eat. So you seem to be in a very small world. Well, do you know what the story is with daddy? Why he's not here right now? What is he doing? One evening we were, sitting by Lonnie Sue's dad, that was the nursing home, there, and Lonnie Sue said, how's daddy? Is he sick? No, well, you remember, he died. He died? What year did he die? Eighteen years ago. And then two minutes later, my sister said how's Daddy? Eighteen years ago? Don't you remeber we told you that? At first, we would try to get her interested. In getting a line on a paper. One day I took a marker and I drew a rectangle with a notch in it and she actually copied it in reverse. This was really something to be excited about. Many of the pieces that you look at in the post illness art they quickly become, over the months, these amazing works of art. It's, it's just tremendously creative. Could you draw a paper cub? The fact that she was such an accomplished graphic artists, she was an amateur violist. She was an amateur pilot. Thanks for asking me to do this. Mm- hm. It's surprising that she has these, these, these areas of spare knowledge. Very surprising in the context of the many, many losses. Because of her amnesia, everything she wants to remember has to be in front of her. The closets are empty, but all the shelves are filled. Everything that crosses her mind. Weather it's visual images, or words, she tries to record this on the page. From the moment she wakes to the moment she goes to sleep. What kind of colors do you want to do this in? I mean just to make it. Well, this matches my shirt. [ LAUGH ] Sure does. Because her pencil leaves a trace of her earlier thoughts. And so she connect, can connect the earlier moments with a private moment, and she can build ideas. My mother gave her a dictionary, which she would browse through for new words. You have fingered through it and. It's a mess. It's improved your vocabulary from zero to better than mine Zero? The alphabet is an amazing scaffolding for her. Let's see. A, B, C, D. Once she discovered the alphabet she has not let go. W, X, Y Z. Oh it fits. Oh good. One of the folders that she carries with her, in her bag is her biography. This is her past life. And you notice how those pages are looked over so much and the edges are Let's make a toast to daddy. Hm. Yeah. That we would love it if he were here. Oh yes. It's not all grim, because we see some good things coming out of it and the research. And in Lonnie Sue's mostly joyful attitude. This is to all the lovely opportunities in the world that each one of us has. Maybe one of the reasons she's so positive is that every day a new thing is like something new to her. My bio has some really interesting things I've had a chance to experience. Hm. When I read it, I can't believe it. That sort of rhymed. [ LAUGH ] So, life is never boring. And we have to think of it that way as, that it's an adventure. Not all of it is wonderful, but some of it is. [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3857853/911-operator-elderly-man-groceries-food/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3857853/911-operator-elderly-man-groceries-food/"},"headline":"See How a 911 Operator's Good Deed Helped a Struggling Man","datePublished":"2015-05-13T22:06:52.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:43:34.837Z","description":"Marilyn Hinson brought over groceries","url":"https://time.com/3857853/911-operator-elderly-man-groceries-food/","keywords":["Newsfeed","U.S."],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Olivia B. Waxman","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3857853/911-operator-elderly-man-groceries-food/","name":"See How a 911 Operator's Good Deed Helped a Struggling Man"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"The Curious Case of Lonni Sue's Amnesia","description":"Lonni Sue Johnson, an accomplished illustrator suddenly loses memory of her life, friends and family, yet continues her creative life","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/hXpU2aFn/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2013-08-14T14:29:14.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/hXpU2aFn.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3857853/911-operator-elderly-man-groceries-food/","duration":"PT8M18S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3857853/911-operator-elderly-man-groceries-food/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```