A Night Like No Other
In the quiet neighborhood of Bay Bridge Estates, Brunswick, 87-year-old Marjorie Perkins was preparing for a peaceful night’s sleep, unaware that this night would be unlike any other.
In the dead of night, an intruder would break into her home, threatening and attacking her.
But Marjorie, a woman of resilience, wasn’t about to let fear dictate the night.
A Rude Awakening
It was around 2 a.m. when Marjorie, comfortably asleep in her Beverly Drive home, was awakened by a startling sight—a teenager standing over her.
“He said, ‘I’m going to cut you,'” Marjorie recalled, who was alone in the house at the time.
The chilling words sent a wave of terror through her, but she refused to let it paralyze her.
In that critical moment, Marjorie made a courageous decision.
“I thought to myself, ‘If he’s going to cut, I’m going to kick.’ So I jumped into my shoes,” she said.
She wasn’t going to be a victim; she was going to fight. Marjorie, despite her age, was prepared to defend herself and her home.
A Shield in the Chaos
As the teen began hitting her, Marjorie’s quick thinking led her to reach for a chair, using it as a shield between them.
“That helped,” she said. “I was hollering for help out the window… Thank God I had the chair between us. It would’ve been worse.”
Her voice, filled with distress, echoed into the night as she called for help.
A Turn of Events
Despite her cries for help, no one heard Marjorie.
The attack continued, with the teen punching her forehead, causing a bruise.
“He kept punching me and pushing me,” she said, but Marjorie fought back fiercely, kicking at him and using the chair to push him away.
She was determined not to let this intruder overpower her.
An Unexpected Request
Eventually, the teen grew tired and retreated to the kitchen.
Marjorie noticed he wasn’t wearing pants or shoes, which were in a pile next to a window air conditioning unit—along with a knife.
“I kept saying, ‘You need to get out. You need help,'” she told him firmly.
Then, in a surprising twist, he made an unexpected request: he was hungry.
A Gesture of Kindness
In a surprising turn, Marjorie responded with unexpected compassion.
“He said he was awfully hungry and hadn’t had anything to eat for quite a while. And I said, ‘Well, here’s a box of peanut butter and honey crackers. You can have that whole box.’ I gave him two containers of Ensure and I gave him two tangerines,” she recounted.
In that moment, Marjorie’s heart softened, and she chose kindness over anger.
Calling for Help
While the intruder was eating, Marjorie seized the opportunity to dial 911 on her rotary phone.
“I dialed as fast as I could,” she said.
Before the police arrived, the teen left.
However, a Brunswick police dog later tracked him down a few blocks away, and he was taken into custody.
Marjorie’s ordeal was finally coming to an end.
A Past Connection
As it turns out, this wasn’t Marjorie’s first encounter with the teen.
About 10 years ago, the same person mowed her lawn to make extra money.
“He did a darn good job,” she said, reflecting on the past.
“I hope he gets help,” Marjorie added, her voice tinged with sadness for the young man she once knew.
Reflection and Security
After the incident, Marjorie, a former elementary school teacher who now teaches line dancing, was reflective but resolute.
“I’m 87 years old,” she said, grateful that she wasn’t hurt worse.
Following the attack, a neighbor gave her a bat for protection, and she had a worker reinforce her air conditioner with screws to prevent future break-ins.
She urged others with window air conditioning units to secure them properly to prevent similar incidents.
A Lesson in Strength and Compassion
Marjorie Perkins’ story is one of courage, resilience, and unexpected compassion.
It’s a tale that reminds us that even in the face of danger, humanity can shine through in the most surprising ways.
Hear Marjorie recount the unexpected night in the video below.
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