MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis woman is working seven days a week to take care of other people, and two of her friends want to give her a blessing in return.

We met David and Cathy Yawn in the Sherwood Forest area of Memphis and they told us about their longtime friend Tonia Jackson.

“She works 7 days a week. She’s a caregiver at night for about three or four nights, then she leaves that job and goes and cleans homes.” 

But that’s not all.

“At the same time, she’s taking care of an elderly father who has early stages of Dementia,” Cathy said. “She takes her husband to work and picks him up in the evening.

With only one car in the family, that requires some logistical coordination.

We didn’t waste any more time. We loaded up for a short drive around the corner. As we arrived, Tonia and her husband were working in the yard. That’s when Cathy springs the surprise.

“I thought you might could use a little extra help and so I have a little bit of money,” she said.

Cathy counted out $300 from News Channel 3 and $700 from our anonymous donors. Cathy and David also gave Tonia $500 from their own anonymous donors.

And how did this make Tonia feel?

“Overwhelmed,” she said. “And blessed. I’m already very blessed. I’m just so thankful to God and for people like Cathy and David.”

Tonia told us about her crazy schedule.

“I have a cleaning business and I also do caregiving for a sweet lady that’s 90 years old in Germantown.  I’ve worked for the family for 27 years now,” she said.

She also told us about her son and how she takes care of him.

“My son, we got this house for him and he’s severely mentally ill and we’ve been taking care of him,” Tonia said. “It has been a long long journey, but ya know, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.  So we just feel like we’re special people that God has allowed us to do these things.”

Tonia and her husband Jim have some advice for those who feel like they’re overwhelmed.

“Look to God and God will take care of everything. He does,” Tonia said.