Help Bobby, a Veteran, Find Hope and Stability

In the early morning, I was coming back from running in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY when I went into a coffee shop for a drink. Bobby came in and politely asked for money, as so many people do in this city. I replied that I didn't have any cash, and he again politely asked if I would buy him some water. It was about 8am and was already 30 degrees celsius (~85 Fahrenheit) and I could see the sweat dripping from Bobby (you can see us both sweating in the photo I took above). I told him to get whatever he wanted.

We ended up talking for a bit. Bobby is 60. He was a Marine, stationed in Panama, Kuwait, and served in Desert Storm between 1985 and 1993. He was discharged dishonorably due to mental health issues, and so, he does not get aid from the U.S. government. He's from South Carolina, where his mother recently died. He has grandchildren and even a great granddaughter who live there. He's been living on the streets of New York City for two years and mostly stays in a homeless shelter near Broadway Junction.

There was something about him, his gentleness, his politeness, the struggle and sadness I could see in his eyes that immediately drew me to him. I told him I would be back if he would be on that corner for longer. He said he would be there until noon. I went back with some cash and my two year old. He was so appreciative and hugged me, and we talked some more. I asked him if he would like me to run an online fundraiser to see if I could get him some more money, and he agreed to the fundraiser and the photo.

How do I know I can trust Bobby, that this is not a scam? Well, I cannot. But anyone sitting on a street corner begging for money and settling for water in this hear deserves my help. But Bobby's gentleness and kind eyes caught my heart. If you know me, you know that I try to run a fundraiser like this one about once a year, trying to help out some stranger. With each of these fundraisers we've collectively helped several people get off the street, we helped one person get out of his country and into a graduate program that assures he will be able to learn the skills to go back and help his impoverished community back home, raised funds to help train people to work with children in a process that can help heal trauma, we helped some children fleeing from war get some bikes and scooters in their refugee city, but most of all, I think we've helped a handful of people know that there's hope, there are people who are willing and able to take a few moments to pause and help their fellow beings.

Bobby is my neighbor, and now he is my friend. I've got his cell phone number (he uses the wifi at the nearby bank to get messages). I told him whatever money I raise I will bring to him. He hugged me again. If you've got a few bucks, it can help him get a meal but more importantly tell him that there is hope and love in this world. Any contribution, even a dollar is extremely appreciated. Thank you for your time and generous contributions. I'll try to post some updates on how Bobby is doing here.