This beautiful story started when one man was approached by a homeless stranger down on his luck. After stopping to chat for a moment, their lives were changed for a lifetime.
Homeless and hungry
Max Zahir stopped at a gas station in Redlands, California when he was stopped by someone on an empty tank.
The man, a homeless veteran named Robert, told him that he hadn't eaten for over a day. Could Zahir spare some change?
To Robert's surprise, Zahir invited him to join for lunch at a nearby burger drive-thru.
Daily kindness
If the story ended there, it would be a beautiful tale. However, before leaving, Zahir made Robert a magical offer. A phone camera captured the heartwarming moment that followed.
"I go to work every day around 4:00 p.m., and if you meet me at that gas station I'm going to buy you lunch."
- Max Zahir
Before leaving, Zahir invited Robert to "give me a hug" , as the shocked veteran started weeping with gratitude.
"Nobody showed me this much kindness in a while, thank you."
- Robert
Zahir replied, “You served this country, and you deserve better.”
He was just getting started
Alright, so even if the story ended there, it would have been priceless.
But daily lunch was just the appetizer.
Zahir also offered his new friend a job at his restaurant, Celebrities Sports Grill.
And, even if...alright, by now you can see that this just keeps getting better.
After Zahir's video went viral, he created a GoFundMe page that raised over $20,000 to purchase sleeping bags, blankets and food for homeless veterans during the chilly winter months.
One thing's for sure: None of it will go to waste. According to The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development states, on any night almost 50,000 armed service veterans are homeless and sleeping on the streets.
To make it worse, many suffer from PTSD from traumatizing events they went through overseas. Now thanks to Zahir, many of them can rest their heads a bit easier at night.
Kindness compounds
We often talk about how one person's kindness inspires others to show the same, and that's true. After all, seeing is believing and belief fuels action.
However, what's so awesome about Zahir's story is how his own gesture lit a spark inside, snowballing into an unstoppable force that's now touching countless lives. After helping Robert, Zahir immediately thought:
If Robert's going hungry on the street, how many others like him are suffering the same?
What else can I do?
Why stop here?
And to think, it all started at a burger drive-thru.
Like Zahir, when we act and realize the kind of power we have to change lives, nothing can stop us.
More uplifting stories:
- Man Goes From Janitor To Principal Of The School He Cleaned For 27 Years
- Brothers Wanted Drinks But The Store Was Empty – What They Did Is A Lesson For All Parents
- Millionaire Shocks Neighbors By Inviting Homeless Couple To Live In His $4M House
- Video Of How Poor Street Vendor Treats Stray Dogs Goes Viral For All The Right Reasons
