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More than a decade later, Barry Talbot鈥檚 good deed continues to pay off

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Barry Talbot, left, next to Ariam Guadalupe. Guadalupe is now a beautician and she鈥檚 able to walk rather than be reliant on a wheelchair. Photo courtesy of Barry Talbot

Barry Talbot isn鈥檛 a man who likes to sit still.

So far, that trait has served him well, and the people around him too.

In 2009, Talbot was delivering wheelchairs to those in need in Mazatlan, Mexico.

鈥淚 gave this wheelchair to this little girl,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 asked her mother if there was a chance if she could learn to walk.鈥

That little girl was Ariam Guadalupe. A local newspaper clipping Talbot pulled out detailed his first interaction with her, explaining that she was born with cerebral palsy and under-developed leg tendons.

She was reliant on that wheelchair 鈥 鈥榳as鈥 being the key word. Talbot, with help from the Rotary Club of Yellowknife, St. Patrick High School, and many others, raised enough money for Guadalupe鈥檚 operation, about $5,000.

Almost $2,000 was used for the surgery while the rest went to ongoing therapy, Talbot explained.

He鈥檚 back in Yellowknife now, but this past March, he got to reconnect with Guadalupe, he said.

She鈥檚 19 and runs her own business as a beautician. She might stand a little less than five feet tall, but she now does it on her own two feet.

It was admittedly pretty emotional for Talbot to see her again.

鈥淚鈥檝e always referred to her as my angel,鈥 he said of Guadalupe. 鈥淪he had an aura about her when I gave her a wheelchair, I don鈥檛 know what it was.鈥

When Talbot went back to visit, he said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 so good to see my angel again.鈥 But Guadalupe鈥檚 mom had someone else in mind for that title.

鈥淪he said 鈥楴o, you鈥檙e the angel.鈥欌

Talbot had a hard time coming up with the words to describe how he felt in that moment, but it might just be the most significant thing he鈥檚 done in his life, he said.

No matter how great an impact he鈥檚 had, he鈥檚 always one to share. He doesn鈥檛 want others in this city having their good deeds go unnoticed either.

Talbot explained the assembly line involved when it comes to delivering wheelchairs in Mexico. He raises money, which then goes to the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation, who then arrange for the purchase of the mobility devices.

The chairs are actually manufactured in a small factory in Mexico. They then get shipped to Mazatlan, and, eventually, to the people there in need.

鈥淚鈥檓 one piece of the puzzle,鈥 Talbot said.

With tears in his eyes, all he could say was there was just something truly special about little Guadalupe all those years ago.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 talk to everybody that receives a wheelchair,鈥 Talbot said. 鈥淥ut of the blue I thought, 鈥業鈥檓 going to ask her mom if there鈥檚 a chance she could walk again.鈥 Why I did it? I don鈥檛 know.鈥欌

The last time Talbot had heard about Guadalupe before he saw her in March was about 10 years ago, he said.

It鈥檚 a massive accomplishment, but it seems Talbot is far from finished with his charitable work. He said he鈥檒l be back down south around wintertime. He might see Guadalupe again in December.

As for what fuels his fire, even he isn鈥檛 quite too sure, though he did cite his parents as a starting point.

鈥淢y folks taught me that if God does bless you with some financial wealth, then you need to share it. And they always used to hammer into me a verse from the Bible: 鈥業t鈥檚 better to give, than to receive.鈥欌



About the Author: Devon Tredinnick

Devon Tredinnick is a reporter for 快盈v3. Originally from Ottawa, he's also a recent journalism graduate from Carleton University.
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