Homeless Man Finds $10K, Tries to Return It and It Backfires



One homeless man’s life would be forever changed by a wildly unexpected stroke of good fortune. A startling discovery would set off a truly heart-warming and surprising chain of events…

A Stroke of Luck


Elmer Alvarez believed he was destined for a difficult life. Living on the streets, he had little hope that things would turn around. Surviving each day was a battle as he relied entirely on the charity of strangers. With the prospect of a cold winter ahead, Alvarez was terrified he would not survive the brutal cold of the season. But soon, a chance discovery would change everything.



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A Moral Dilemma


It was just another seemingly mundane day when Alvarez came upon something extraordinary. While walking the streets, the man came upon a check worth $10,000. He was instantly overcome with disbelief. The almost inconceivable amount of money could transform his life, affording him a place to stay and three warm meals a day. But would his conscious allow him to keep the found money?

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Doing the Right Thing


Rather surprisingly, Alvarez decided he would not keep the check. In his mind, keeping the cash was theft, he cared more about maintaining his integrity than drastically improving his circumstances. With a heavy but determined  heart, he set out to find the rightful owner.



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The Quote


Surprisingly, finding the owner of the $10,000 check would not be a difficult endeavor. The check contained information about the owner, including where the woman worked, while a quick Google search gave Alvarez all the answers he needed. Roberta Hoskie worked as a real estate agent living in Connecticut. Though he was adamant he would return the lost money he never expected that Hoskie would respond the way she did.

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Completely Oblivious


Hoskie was actually completely oblivious to the fact that she had lost the enormous check. Hoskie’s demanding job and family life kept her days busy and the check had slipped her mind. Unbeknownst to Hoskie, Alvarez was seeking her out, determined to do what was right.

 
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Returning the Money


By the time Hoskie realized she had lost the check, Alvarez was well on his way to finding her. When Hoskie eventually heard from the stranger, she in utter disbelief. The pair soon arranged to meet up at a nearby location, it was then that Hoskie would make a startling discovery about this kind and mysterious character.

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Down on His Luck


Hoskie had expected the person returning the check would be an ordinary man in good circumstance. She’d never imagined that he’d be destitute, without shelter, a steady job or the necessary means to survive each day. Although Alvarez expected nothing in return for his generous act, Hoskie refused to let this moral man leave empty-handed.

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A Place to Live


Hoskie wanted to find a meaningful way to show Alvarez her appreciation, but how? What gesture would truly change Alvarez’s dire situation? Hoskie knew that shelter would be the greatest gift she could give the man. She set out to find Alvarez adequate accommodation.

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Securing an Interview


Hoskie soon realized that without an income Alvarez wouldn’t be able to pay rent. In addition to securing him a home, Hoskie organized an interview with a business partner for Alvarez. If the man could secure himself a stable job, it would change his life forever.

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Returning to School


Given the man’s unfortunate background, Alvarez wasn’t exactly qualified for a demanding job in real estate. But thanks to Hoskie’s generosity, Alvarez’s chances at landing the position were about to drastically improve. She enrolled the man in the local real estate school, ensuring him she would cover the cost of his schooling. To Alvarez’s astonishment, his selfless act of kindness was about to change his life.

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A Sad History


There was an unexpected reason behind Hoskie’s determination to help the homeless man. Years before she had found steady work, Hoskie found  herself living on the streets. She had experienced first-hand the harrowing struggles of surviving without a place to sleep. Hoskie was also further burdened by trying to single-handedly provide for a child. After unexpectedly falling pregnant, she had dropped out of high school and had struggled to find work that would support both her and her son.

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A Desperate Mother


Finding oneself on the streets is a terrifying prospect, no matter one’s age. As a teenager without a High School diploma, Hoskie was in an especially dire position. Though she herself was hungry, depressed and without anyone to turn to for support, it was her little boy she was most concerned for. Despite her awful situation, she was committed to finding a way to give her son all he deserved.

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Opportunity Comes Knocking


When she was 20, Hoskie began an internship with Yale University which would offer her the much-needed means to provide for her child. She soon became involved in a first-time buyer’s program and climbed the rungs in the real estate business. She now works in an office and to her immense pride, she recently bought her very first home. Hoskie was able to transform her life with hard work, positivity and the occasional kindness showed to her by strangers.

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The Kindness of Strangers


Hoskie believes she owes her newfound prosperity to the generosity of those who offered her a helping hand. If someone’s kindness could turn her life around, there was no reason that her actions couldn’t offer Alvarez the same opportunity. Yet Alvarez had to abide to one unwavering condition.

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Screening In Secret


The real estate agent firmly believed in paying it forward. She was willing to give Alvarez accommodation and schooling on the basis that he would show the same generosity to another person who was in need. Given how selflessly Alvarez had acted in his, Hoskie had no doubt the man would offer his help when the opportunity arose.

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The Good News


It took mere days to arrange Alvarez’s accommodation and enrolment at the real estate school. As Hoskie broke the news to Alvarez, the man was overcome with emotion. He accepted Hoskie’s kindness with humility and earnest appreciation. He simple could not believe the good news.

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A Novel Idea


After years of struggle, Alavarez was simply overjoyed at the prospect of changing his life for the better. Finally, he was given an opportunity to turn his situation around. He couldn’t hold back the tears as he realized just how significantly his life was going to change. But there was one more gesture that truly moved him.

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Pain Behind the Lens


Alvarez didn’t “have to worry about being in the cold.” With winter approaching, the thought of surviving the cold was a constant and terrifying concern. Temperatures in Connecticut can drop to 16 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter months. Alvarez no longer needed to worry if he would live through the coming cold season.

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No Expectations


Alvarez had truly expected nothing in return for returning the check. So few people in this world would have done the right thing, especially given Alvarez’s dire circumstances. Hoskie and Alvarez are proof that there are still good people in the world who are committed to showing others kindness.

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Giving Back


But Alvarez isn’t the first person who Hoskie has given a chance to prosper. Hoskie is a philanthropist who is involved in multiple local charity organizations. While her time on the streets was a truly horrific ordeal, the experience instilled in her a fierce desire to help the less fortunate.

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A Positive Change


No longer having to worry about surviving each day, Alvarez has thrived. He continues to educate himself in the hopes of promoting his position, and just as Hoskie had asked of him, Alvarez is always looking for the opportunity to help his fellow man.

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Helping Others


Speaking to a local news team, Alvarez described what his new life’s mission had become: “helping people, trying to help others.” The man now knew that a single act of kindness had the capacity to change a person’s life. Hoskie had taken a chance on him, and he is committed to offering the same generosity to others.

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Reaching Out


To achieve his mission of changing the lives of homeless people, he went out and spoke to the people living on the streets. “When I see them down and depressed, I talk to them.” So many people dismiss the homeless, unable to meet their pleading eyes. To simply make these people feel seen and acknowledged is a tremendous good deed in itself.

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Leigh’s Controversy


Elmer has been gaining the skills needed to excel in his new profession. He most recently pitched an idea his guardian angel – not just about real estate in general, but also specifically about how she can use her expertise to help the homeless. “I’ve got faith in God that she’s going to take that project to another step,” he said.

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Extending A Hand


Hoskie’s generosity didn’t stop with giving Elmer free schooling and a place to stay. To ensure he had the ability to focus on his studies, she decided to pay for six months’ rent so Alvarez could rest easy knowing he would not wind up back on the streets and alone.

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Some Final Thoughts


But true to his character, Elmer has promised he will pay back Hoskie once he begins to earn his own income. Elmer believes his good fortune comes down to a simple life lesson: “Do the right things and the right things come to you.” Hoskie is not the only person who is changing the lives of the homeless. One unlikely and famous face also offered a homeless man an astonishing opportunity…

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An Unlikely Saviour


The controversial rapper, Kanye West, surprised millions when he showed generosity to an unsuspecting homeless man on the streets of New York. The music mogul met a young homeless man outside a local recording studio and would soon make au unlikely gesture of goodwill.

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Meet Nino


Posting a video on his Twitter page, West offered a young man named Nino Blu to introduce himself to his almost 30 million followers. The video – which went viral, garnering 53,000 likes, featured Blu recounting his life story to West. Blu, whose real name is Jorge Flores, had recently lost his job and had found himself sleeping on the unforgiving New York streets. It all changed when the young man met the rapper.

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Sharing His Story


Nino said he celebrated his birthday just days before meeting West, but the occasion had not been a happy one. Nino was hoping to enter the music business and turn his life around. Kanye listened to an impromptu performance by the young rapper oand was so impressed that he offered to take him into his studio to make a recording. “He said I have good energy and he’s gonna show me some beats,” Nino said, overcome with emotion.

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Credit Where It’s Due


“I feel extremely blessed. I feel very happy,” said Blu, adding he believed God was looking out for him.  “The universe works in very mysterious ways,” he tearfully shared. Each day is a new opportunity to show one’s fellow man kindness. Hoskie and West are truly making the world a brighter place.