Sofia Andrade was at a stop sign in New Bedford, Massachusetts, when she played a scratch ticket and found out she had won $200. As soon as she looked up, she saw Glenn Williams right in front of her.
Williams had been homeless for 3 years and was out panhandling on that cold night. As soon as she found out she had a winning ticket, Andrade knew what she had to do.
“I knew that the money never really belonged to me,” Andrade told WCVB. “This money was meant to help him.”
Andrade called Williams over to her car and said that she wanted to take him to Dunkin Donuts to buy him a coffee.
“He was so overwhelmed by just the generosity of coffee that he just couldn’t stop crying,” she said.
While speaking to Williams, Andrade learned he had been on the streets because no local homeless shelters had room for him. That’s when she knew that she wanted to do even more for him. Andrade used the rest of her winnings to pay for a motel room for Williams for two nights.
“I couldn’t believe there’s somebody like her,” Williams said. “She deserves a lot of credit for where I am right now.”
Sofia shared her story in a Facebook post and after the post was shared hundreds of times, she began receiving messages from people who also wanted to help Williams. She then launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to “help give Glenn a second chance,” reports WFXT.
A local barber who heard about the story offered to give Williams a free haircut and others in the area donated goods and services to help him out.
“There’s a lot of good people in this world,” Williams said. “I’m overwhelmed with all the help, and I just want to thank everybody.”
Readers shared their thoughts on the Facebook page.
“What an inspirational story,” one reader commented. “Her kindness is so enlightening. Having been in a homeless shelter after losing everything to poor choices, I can appreciate what she did. Like it was said to me, not everyone is looking for a handout, but a handup.”
“The goodness in this woman would put most others to shame,” wrote another. “Her generous heart is something of great beauty. May God bless her abundantly.”
