Brighten Your Day

Woman Raises $300,000 For A Homeless Veteran To Thank Him For His Selfless Act

November 24, 2017

A New Jersey woman has raised several hundred thousand dollars for a homeless veteran after his act of kindness helped her to get home safe.

Last month, Kate McClure was driving down Interstate 95 through Philadelphia when she ran out of gas.

"I never ran out of gas before, and my heart was beating out of my chest," she said. "I pulled over as far as I could, and got out of the car to head to the nearest gas station."

That's when she met Johnny, a homeless veteran who sits on the side of the road every day holding a sign.

"He told me to get back in the car and lock the doors. A few minutes later, he comes back with a red gas can."

He had used his last $20 to buy her gas.

Johnny didn't ask for money; McClure didn't have any cash on her at the time. But over the next few weeks, she gave him a jacket, gloves, a hat and socks. She also gave him a few dollars each time she saw him.

But McClure wanted to do more. So, she started a GoFundMe page with a goal of $10,000 -- enough money for rent, a reliable vehicle and up to six months of expenses.

As of Friday morning, November 24, nearly $300,000 has been raised by over 10,000 donors.

A photo of Johnny S Bobbitt JR on Facebook from May 2015

On Wednesday night, McClure and her boyfriend checked Johnny into a hotel. They gave him money for contact lenses and took him to Walmart to get some clothes. They also bought him a new computer, according to CNN.

McClure asked Johnny what he wanted to do with all the money. He was hesitant to say, but he plans to make a video and explain it all.

Visit GoFundMe to make a donation.