Woman on her way to gas station spotted man who'd been homeless for more than 20 years—her kind gesture changed his life
Looking out for people who need help might change someone's life. A homeless man experienced just that when a woman noticed him at a gas station. The man, Johnny, had been homeless for 20 years before that. While the woman, Alyssa Crumley, had realized that she needed to help the man in some way. So she started working with friends and family to turn the man's life around, as he had hoped he wouldn't have to be on the streets anymore, according to a Facebook post by Kaitlyn Ross.
When Crumly saw Johnny at the Shell station in Dawsonville, she bought snacks and water for him and sat with him to pray. "When she got home in tears, her family helped her put together a care bag with a blanket, pillow, snacks and a devotional book. They went back to find him," Ross recounted. "He’s likely in his 60s or 70s, homeless for more than 20 years, struggling to walk and visibly worn down by life." The store clerk told the family that Johnny had been there for over a year. "Johnny doesn’t want to be on the streets. He’s battling addiction, isolation and decades of hardship. But Alyssa and her neighbors stepped in, with no roadmap, just compassion."
The group bought him clothes, food, toiletries and motel nights with their own money so the man could have a safe place. Johnny was excited to see a show called "Gunsmoke" and had been sober on his own accord for a week after securing a place to live. Crumley and her friends started making calls to various agencies in hopes of getting a more permanent place for Johnny. "He has fallen through the cracks: he’s been told he’s too old, too disabled, or not clean long enough. Still, they’re not giving up." Ross asked people to reach out to the family if they knew of any organizations that helped older adults experiencing homelessness and addiction. "Because Alyssa didn’t just see Johnny, she stopped. She cared." The woman wanted Johnny to have a chance at a better life.
The family also started a GoFundMe for the man and managed to collect $2,520. It was supposed to be $800 and get Johnny groceries, hygiene items and a hotel room for a week until they found something more permanent. "A gentleman named Isaac is working on medicaid assistance and disability for him." The organizer, Dayna Crumley, added in an update, "We updated the fundraiser title since we now have enough to house and feed him for 3 weeks at the Motel!" They were still working to find a more permanent place for Johnny. People shared their thoughts on the family's serious efforts in the comments section of the post.
Pam Walden wrote, "Johnny has been camping out in the woods for years and his usual spot to sit was at the Goodwill. My husband brings out food for him and prays with him. People have tried to get him help and we continue to pray for him!" Penny Hale commented, "My daughter was homeless for several years. I've seen firsthand what a heartbreaking sight this is. Kudos to you, your family and neighbors for what y'all have done for this man. I pray he gets the help he needs and can get back on his feet asap. No one deserves to be homeless. It just happens sometimes, before you realize what's happening. God bless all y'all." Carla Clark remarked, "What a blessing. Thank you to everyone who has been helping him and working on getting him assistance."