A man on the streets shivers in the cold, pulling his thin coat tighter against his starving body, leaning against a wall to reduce the piercing Nashville wind. He quit tracking time months or even years ago but knows it’s January because Christmas displays, though decreasing by the week, still sparkle in the windows of some glass storefronts. In his worn, tattered clothes, the man keeps watch, ready to defend himself immediately if a threat approaches. When grogginess starts weighing on his eyelids, he sees two young girls and two elderly folks walking past him, but a blink issues a correction. The group actually walks toward him, carrying bags. The older of the two girls then stops and extends one of those bags to him.
Suddenly, a sensation of warmth ignites within the man, like steamy liquid soothing its way down his throat and spreading within his chest.
“Thank you,” he said, as his day just got a little bit brighter and warmer.
Preslee Thurman hopes to inspire everyone she meets on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee’s capital. The 17-year-old does what some teens are unwilling to do to accomplish her goal.
She sacrifices her Christmas gifts.
Preslee, a native of Franklin, Kentucky, where her father was raised, lives a typical teenage life: she attends school, competes in dance, loves animals, and dreams of becoming a marine biologist after college.
However, her actions betray the heart of anything but a typical teen. Around 2021, Preslee told her mom, dad, and grandparents that she no longer wanted Christmas gifts. Instead, she desired to take that money and shop for those without homes or in need. Hearts filled with thankfulness and pride, the parents obliged.
In January, Preslee spends a day filling bags with blankets, scarves, food, gloves, hats, toiletries, handwritten notes, and Bible verses. The following day, she travels from Franklin to downtown Nashville with her nana and grandpa to distribute the bags to those she encounters on the streets — Preslee’s cousin, Sawyer, who is six years younger, tags along with them. The handouts usually take about two hours.
“There’s not a lot of homeless people in Franklin, and Nashville is pretty close, and there’s a lot of them there,” Preslee said.
So that’s where she takes Sawyer, hoping to stand as a living example for her cousins.
The need certainly exists, after all. According to Metro Nashville’s Homelessness Dashboard, 3,412 people in April 2024 endured homelessness in the city. Working to fight such insecurity, the Metro Council approved a historic $50 million investment via American Rescue Plan funds in October 2022 to reduce homelessness. In her own way, Preslee aims to help and provide a message. Her Bible notes tell the people she finds in the cold that they are not alone, hopefully providing a hint of light to individuals who need the smile.
Preslee simultaneously leaves a message for her younger cousins.
“I want to show my little cousins that it’s good to give to others, and it makes me feel good knowing that I’m not just getting a bunch of stuff for Christmas and other people aren’t, so I give back,” she said.
Does the 17-year-old feel nervous while doing this good deed?
No. She feels terrible.
“I always feel super bad after because it makes me realize how much I have and that I need to be more grateful.”
With her mom as an inspiration, Preslee strives to always give back, acknowledging her very own blessings and her duty to serve those living in worse situations.
“I always think about what God would do,” Preslee said. “So maybe pray for them, and I would say be kind because you never know what someone else is going through. Whatever you do, do it in love. That’s what I go by because that’s what God would want.”
Preslee’s actions convey to every girl, boy, woman, and man the importance of giving, especially in the United States, where the average person is better off than most people living in a third-world country. From that perspective, wealth takes on a completely different meaning, one that Preslee better understands every year when she visits Nashville. It becomes a momentary shelter for someone facing the bitter coldness of a harsh world.
Those wanting to learn more about Nashville’s efforts to help those in need can visit the city’s website at nashville.gov. People looking to help can support organizations like the Nashville Rescue Mission at nashvillerescuemission.org through donations or volunteer work.
