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Woman Changed Homeless Man's Life By Simply Creating A Facebook Page

Woman Changed Homeless Man's Life By Simply Creating A Facebook Page
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One woman helped a homeless man get the help that he needed simply by creating a Facebook page.

Ginger Sprouse first noticed Victor Hubbard on the corner of El Camino Real and Nasa Road 1 in Kemah, Texas, in late 2016. She told CBS News on Tuesday that she would drive past Hubbard at least four times a day but began to grow concerned about winter approaching. After hearing that other people in the community also wondered what the man’s story was, she decided to introduce herself.

She found out that Hubbard, who suffers from a mental illness, had been standing in the same spot his mother left him in for the past three years. He waited each day for her to return.

Sprouse, who’s a chef, told MyBayArea Radio that she began visiting Hubbard on her lunch break. She opened her home to him during bad weather, offering him a shower, dinner and clean clothes.

She told KHOU that she was struck by his warmheartedness. They quickly became friends.

“I would drive up and he would say ‘How are you doing today?’” Sprouse said. “’Are you doing okay? Don’t ever let anybody do you wrong.’ Seriously, he always asked about me.”

Sprouse was so moved by Hubbard, she created a Facebook page called This is Victor in December. She used the page so people could get to know Hubbard and help out in any way they could. She would post photos and videos of Hubbard enjoying the simple things in life or imparting some inspirational words. He quickly stole thousands of people’s hearts.

Since the Facebook page was created, Hubbard has been bombarded with support. Someone gave Hubbard a free eye exam, while others provided food, clothes, a bike and a phone. Community members also threw Hubbard a block party fundraiser with hundreds of attendees.

Sprouse also took Hubbard to a mental health professional. The local fire chief promised Sprouse that the fire department would be responsible for making sure Hubbard takes his medication every day.

Hubbard is also now employed at the local restaurant Art of the Meal, working for Sprouse and her husband.

This is Victor currently has more than 31,000 likes on Facebook. After noticing more and more people asked how they could contribute, Sprouse created a GoFundMe page for folks to donate to Hubbard’s mental health services. On Wednesday, the page hit its fundraising goal of $25,000.

Hubbard told KHOU that he’s grateful for Sprouse’s help.

“She came around and she kind of saved me,” Hubbard said. “She helped me. It’s like grace.”

Sprouse’s kindness didn’t just help turn Hubbard’s life around, it helped him find what he was looking for in the first place: his family.

KHOU reports that the Facebook page helped Hubbard’s uncle find him, leading him to drive from East Texas to see his nephew. And on March 8, he reunited with his mom.

“I got to talk to her and I really feel like I accomplished something,” he told the local outlet.

There’s no doubt that Sprouse changed his life, but the Texas woman told CBS News that Hubbard left an indelible mark on her life, too.

“He’s changed me because the man never, never, never, even when he was standing on the corner wet and in the rain, had anything negative to say,” she said. “And if he can be as gracious and kind and sweet and positive in that circumstance, then I can be in whatever circumstance I’m in.”

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