A 62-year-old homeless man named John Helinski had been living in a cardboard box next to Tampa, Florida bus stop and stayed there for more than three years.
Sometimes, he slept under the benches of the bus stop. People did not even realize that he was there. For those painful years, Helinski felt invisible and hopeless.
All of his documents and identification cards had been stolen from him. He was originally from Poland, making it almost impossible for the 62-year-old to apply for a new identification.
Helinski even applied for temporary housing at Florida’s Community Housing Solutions Center. However, he was denied because there was no way to prove his identity. It was a series of failure, and the old man had gotten used to being beaten down.
When a caseworker with community health provider DACCO named Charles Inman heard Helinski’s story, he wanted to do something to help him out.
With the cooperation of Tampa Police Department Officer Daniel McDonald, they wanted to help Helinski have a good life once again.
“This situation looked really difficult, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to end up,” Inman said after he met Helinski.
“If it failed, it meant we’d put a 62-year-old man on the street, and Officer McDonald and I were not OK with that.” With the two of them doing their best to help, Helinski was finally given a chance.
“John was born in Poland, so it made it even more difficult for him to get new ID,” McDonald stated. “I helped him out and said, ‘We will figure this out and get you a bed.’
The two worked with Helinski to gather all of his identification documents. “First, I drove him personally to the local tax collector’s office, where he was able to get a temporary State of Florida ID card,” McDonald shared.
Having that ID, Helinski could finally obtain his birth record from the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Once they got that, they could already go to the social security office to know what happened to the benefits Helinski used to have. The men were shocked to discover that Helinski had never stopped getting all his benefits.
Then, they went to the bank where they found a forgotten bank account with his money. They also found Helinski’s social security checks, and more! Helinski even had enough funds to move into a new home. For now, the 62-year-old is staying in the community homes where Inman works.
“He has the money now to move into his own home,” McDonald expressed. “He deserves it. He’s a very good, sweet and genuine man.” The two men who found the 62-year-old are also “very good, sweet, and genuine.”
Thanks to them, Helinski’s future is brighter than before! What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section below! Don’t forget to SHARE this inspiring story with your family and friends!