Editor’s Note: This story is a part of our series, The Gift, which appeared in the March 2026 issue.
Once Chris Hunt overcame his bias, he discovered a talent for connecting with those who needed it most
I didn’t want the job.
As a young teen, the idea of working in a building with people experiencing mental illness wasn’t exactly at the top of my list of career aspirations.
My sister worked at a large group home that housed people with mental illness and through her, I was offered a part-time job.
Truth was, I was scared. Everything I knew about mental illness was gleaned from popular culture. Popular culture is very seldom flattering. Or accurate.
I accepted the job. The work itself was menial. Answering phones, redirecting calls and greeting visitors as necessary.
Imagine my surprise when on my first day, most of the residents greeted me warmly. One said I looked like a kid during his first day at a new school, which honestly was a perfectly accurate description.
The residents were nothing like I thought they would be. Most were clean and very well-spoken. All were kind.
My shift started at 3 p.m. and ended just before midnight, with the bulk of my work being done between 3 and 6 p.m. That meant I had around five hours of quiet time.
During the first few months I was largely left alone by the residents, but as I became more familiar to them (and them to me) more than a few began engaging me in friendly conversation.
Listening to someone is a gift. Photo Courtesy Freepiks
These conversations were truly eye-opening. Many of the residents had lived interesting, even enviable, lives. Some were published authors while others had owned successful businesses. Others had raised happy families. Sadly, there were elements of tragedy in their stories.
Mental illness is like cancer in that it’s easy to dismiss symptoms. The longer you ignore the symptoms, the harder it is to treat.
Cancer though, is a socially acceptable disease. Tell people you have cancer and odds are they’ll shower you with sympathy and concern.
The opposite is often the case with those experiencing mental illness, who are often shunned, feared or mocked because of their disease.
It didn’t take long before my “quiet” time became my busiest time as the residents knew that was when I was available. They didn’t want anything from me beyond just a friendly ear. I was usually more than happy to oblige. I had the time to give and my office window often had a queue in front of it.
I didn’t realize how much these conversations mattered to the residents until I received a call from the daughter of one of the residents who frequently came to chat. She was calling to thank me.
Her mother had told her she appreciated how I spoke to her like a human being. That she was grateful that I didn’t shoo her away if she didn’t need anything workwise.
Surprised, I said I just treated her like I’d treat anyone else.
Her response floored me. “No. You treat her like a person. Most people don’t.”
And that’s how I learned that sometimes the most valuable thing you can give is your time and a little bit of kindness.
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