MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rosalind Fayne is a survivor.  On April 3, 1968, just one day before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosalind’s family home in Brighton was destroyed by a deadly tornado. 

She was only 11 years old at the time. 

The Covington Leader featured the Fayne family in an article just four years ago, as they reminisced about the memories of that night.

These days, you’ll find Rosalind working at Brighton Elementary School. She’s responsible for these shiny floors in the cafeteria.  Our playmaker is kindergarten teacher Jamie Hodge. 

She told me more about Miss Roz.

“We have a custodian, Miss Roz. She works endless hours here,” Jamie said. “She’s usually the first one here in the mornings and the last one to leave.  Also, during the summer time, her responsibility has been to wax every square inch of this building.”

With summer camps being held in the school building, cleaning can be a challenge.

“She has been coming up here on the weekends,” Jamie said. “She is making several sacrifices away from her family. She also helps raise her grandkids. So, they are down to one car.”

That presents some challenges.

“Her daughter lives with her, they all live in one home, but her daughter works in Memphis,” Jamie said. “So, she has to go get her in the evenings, and pick her up and bring her back home.

“Sounds like she could use some help, they’ve got one car, they’ve got some financial issues they need some help with,” Tim said. “Well, I’ve got some help here. I’ve got 300 dollars from News Channel 3 plus 700 dollars from our anonymous donors. Think that’ll help?”

“Oh my goodness, she’ll be absolutely amazed.” Jamie said.

About an hour later, we found Miss Roz in Millington.

“Hey Miss Roz!” Jamie said. “We have a little surprise for you. I nominated you for WREG’s Pass It On and you were selected.”

Jamie counts out the thousand dollars, and miss roz is speechless.

But, there’s more.

“I have another surprise for you,” Jamie said.

It seems that jamie has some anonymous donors as well.

“You’re getting an additional thousand dollars,” Jamie said.

Jamie counts out the cash, “…One thousand dollars for a total of two thousand dollars.”

For someone who works so hard, this is like manna from Heaven. 

“I feel wonderful. I feel so wonderful. I’m just so surprised,” Miss Roz said.

Miss Roz is a busy woman, but that doesn’t keep her down.

“[We’re] down to one car and I take her to work and then I come back and take my grandson to work, then I go to work,” Miss Roz said.

Like so many people today, Miss Roz makes sacrifices for her family.  She works long hours, puts a lot of miles on this little silver car of hers and is a blessing to students and faculty at Brighton Elementary School.

If you know someone you want to nominate for Pass It On, follow the link to the site and fill out a form.