How One California Man Changed A Homeless Man's Life Forever
Adam August enjoyed going to his local coffee shop. Almost every time he went, he would pass a homeless man living in a tent.
"Every time I'd see him I'd tell myself that I would take him to lunch but always found an excuse not to," he told Yahoo News. "Today was different. It might have been selfish but I was lonely. I didn't want to spend the whole day alone. I walked up to him, put my hand on his shoulder and said 'Do you want to have lunch with me?'"
August and the homeless man had lunch that day and it was the start of something special. The homeless man was named Tarec Atkinson and he was a Jamaican immigrant who came to the United States almost a decade ago.
Atkinson lived in a tent next to a highway with no friends, no family, and often times no food.
August invited him over to his apartment to take a shower, a luxury he hadn't had for weeks.
The giving didn't stop there. August bought him a new set of clothes, helped him fill out job applications, and drove him to a job interview.
Atkinson finally got a job, something he hadn't had in over a year. He is still homeless, but far from hopeless.
August set up a gofundme.com account to help Atkinson get a house and basic necessities. So far, hundreds have people have raised more than $12,000 in just one week.
August says the outpouring of generosity is proof that love transcends all things.
"This story has found its way into the hearts of so many regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, nationality, political views, or class," he wrote on the gofundme page. "By caring about Tarec's story, YOU proved love transcends all."
