Photo: Charlotte Martin
The business was bad, she was robbed several times - now her strong men are on hand
They are strong men who become weak when a young woman needs help - we tell the unusual story of helpfulness and solidarity in the middle of Germany.
Silvia has Down's syndrome, and because she did not want to hire anyone, she opened a snack bar with her mother Adeline (77) - right on the family property in Rüsselsheim. For eight years now there are sausages, sandwiches, soups or something to drink (everything from 1.50 euros).
The takeaway was never geared to being profitable. "I just wanted to give my daughter a regular routine, " says Mother Adeline. And Silvia loves the work in her snack: "I feel comfortable here."
But there were problems: sometimes the guests stayed off for days. And what was even worse: Silvia was stolen several times - 150 euros, a cell phone, and the cashier took the thief with the same.
Silvia's snack project seemed to be over. But then the rescue: Through the report of a local radio station Roger Menzer from Darmstadt (30 kilometers away) is alarmed and decides to help the young woman: "When I heard that she was already robbed again, I was stunned. How can you do that? "
The family man owns the club pub of the SV Darmstadt 98 (just got into the 2nd league). He and his colleague Bernd Link let old contacts play, call club colleagues to collect donations. "On Facebook, the call to help Silvia has reached many people. Not even a week later, in April, we stood with just under 100 people with Silvia and her mother in the yard and gave her a cash register, a cell phone, and a large basket of sausages and drinks, "says Roger.
Now the shop is buzzing, and the cashier is ringing more often than ever! RTL and Sat.1 were now also there. Some discover "Silvia's snack-oasis" from the street, after their shift workers from nearby Frankfurt airport come by.
Roger Menzer and his friends continue to help: "We have collected even more, and in July she gets new appliances such as a microwave and a coffee machine.
Why does he do that? "People like Silvia are just like us, and so many are missing out on today. We should all think outside the box more often. "
Text: Ann-Christin Fischer
She can laugh again: Silvia (35) with her helpers Bernd Link (42, middle) and Roger Menzer (39, r.).
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