Zach Galifianakis paid full rent for elderly homeless woman for years - she was his one-of-a-kind friend

A lot of celebrities are like their iconic characters from movies or series in real life too. Their goofy and kind personality is often naturally visible in their work. Zach Galifianakis, popularly known as “Alan” from “The Hangover,” also exhibits quite a few heartwarming traits. The actor, whose character was that of a sweet, goofy and chaotically kind one, displayed the same traits with a special friend named Elizabeth Haist, who was popularly known as “Mimi,” reported TODAY. Galifianakis, who befriended the 87-year-old woman in an unexpectedly wholesome way, had made a profound impact in turning her life around.

The duo met in 1994 at a laundromat in an impromptu scenario. Haist became homeless after losing her house in a divorce and had nowhere to go, per VT. Being painstakingly homeless for around 20 years, the woman would make do by offering her service at the laundromat. She used to volunteer at the time in exchange for living at the laundromat for quite a few years where she met the actor and helped with his laundry. Back then, Galifianakis was new in the acting business and was trying to make a name for himself.

A few years later, Galifianakis developed a strong bond with the woman over time and learned of her dilemma. He immediately decided to use his fame and wealth for a good cause and got her an apartment on rent. Galifianakis gladly obliged to pay the rent for Haist for the rest of her life. The actor gave the 87-year-old a home and love along with an overdose of kindness. Everything was kept hushed for decades until he invited Haist to the 2009 red carpet of “The Hangover.” From thereon, their story was public and their beautiful friendship echoed as a beaming example of kindness. Galifianakis also introduced her to his actor friends and from then, Haist's life was adorably transformed.

There is also a documentary on the inspiring life of Haist, titled “Queen Mimi,” by Israeli-American actor and director Yaniv Rokah. Talking about their fun-loving bond back then in an interview for the documentary, Galifianakis shared how much the woman meant to him, per PEOPLE. “We talk about sex, Mimi and I, and we laugh a lot," he joked. "It is my honor to know that woman,” the actor said. When asked about the gesture from Galifianakis, Mimi shared how grateful she was. “I really love it. I have a place where I can sleep and arrange things, and it’s really heaven,” she exclaimed.

Haist, who also had an Instagram account, frequently posted about her new-found friendship with stars and her delightful bond with Galifianakis. In one of her posts, she shared a glimpse of herself with the actor and wrote, “Thank you, Zach, every day for everything! I’m still here.” The woman also mentioned that despite having everything and more, she still visited the laundromat regularly. “I still go to the laundromat every day to keep busy and people come in and say, ‘Oh you’re a star!’” she recalled. Haist approached every day with one mindset - “I always say yesterday’s gone, tomorrow isn’t here, you live now. You live each day as it comes."