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n2doc

(47,953 posts) Thu Feb 26, 2015, 06:41 AM Feb 2015

Homeless man helps push cars up snowy hill, wins Internet

Random acts of kindness typically maintain their randomness.

But occasionally, an act of benevolence goes viral and leads to the Internet’s version of a winning lottery ticket.

Such was the case when a Colorado Springs homeless man named Shelby Hudgens was caught on camera helping to push cars up a slippery hill during a messy snowstorm over the weekend.

Pretty soon, Hudgens was on the local news — and soon after that, he found himself sleeping in a hotel room paid for by a viewer, according to NBC affiliate KOAA.

more

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/25/homeless-man-captured-on-video-helping-motorists-in-a-snowstorm-wins-the-internet-lottery/

4 replies

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Homeless man helps push cars up snowy hill, wins Internet (Original Post) n2doc Feb 2015 OP

The Gofundme account started in his name is at $4800 right now, Contrary1 Feb 2015 #1

While I applaud the generosity shown both by and to this man.. Fumesucker Feb 2015 #2

Life is horribly unfair mythology Feb 2015 #3

It gets me every time, too. OneGrassRoot Feb 2015 #4

Contrary1

(12,629 posts)

1. The Gofundme account started in his name is at $4800 right now,

Reply to n2doc (Original post)

Thu Feb 26, 2015, 07:58 AM

Feb 2015

and it looks like he has several job leads. Hopefully, his homeless days are coming to an end.

http://www.koaa.com/story/28173051/news-5-follow-up-homeless-man-helps-others-in-snow?clienttype=mobile

Fumesucker

(45,851 posts)

2. While I applaud the generosity shown both by and to this man..

Reply to n2doc (Original post)

Thu Feb 26, 2015, 08:36 AM

Feb 2015

This kind of story strikes me as horribly unfair, he may well get rescued but there are still thousands upon thousands of people in the same or even worse situations. Not everyone in dire straits can win the internet, it doesn't work that way.

The cynical part of me wonders if some employers think they can get someone who will work cheap.

mythology

(9,527 posts)

3. Life is horribly unfair

Reply to Fumesucker (Reply #2)

Thu Feb 26, 2015, 09:27 AM

Feb 2015

If it were fair, he wouldn't be homeless in the first place.

Yes we should as a society do more to help the homeless, but that is a giant problem. Expecting individuals to solve that isn't feasible. Instead people are being asked to help one person. That is something people can get their heads around. It's small enough to be solvable.

OneGrassRoot

(22,920 posts)

4. It gets me every time, too.

Reply to Fumesucker (Reply #2)

Thu Feb 26, 2015, 10:26 AM

Feb 2015

I also applaud it and agree with other posters that life isn't fair, the problem is systemic, and that helping one person is something people can get their heads around.

Still, when one person "wins the Internet," then tend to win BIG. Like hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I wish we had some sort of system so that people can donate to the person who is getting the attention, yet beyond a certain amount that can get someone solidly on their feet (because the non-monetary offers often flow as well, which is awesome), the donations go toward shelters and food banks in the city involved.

Maybe that's how I can relaunch the Wishadoo fundraising platform, with that kind of intention in mind.

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