A former teacher has received $27,000 from one of his former students who found him living in his car.
77-year-old Jose Villarruel, also known as Mr. V, was given the generous check by 21-year-old Steven Nava, who set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the kindhearted teacher.
Mr. V had been a teacher for many decades but because of the pandemic, schools decided to move to remote learning.
“I decided the school situation has changed completely and I believed that a job of a substitute was over,” Mr. Villarruel told Fox 11 Los Angeles.
“In May, I submitted my resignation. I managed to do all of the paperwork, all of the arrangements to get my pension.
“I got my cheque, but that cheque didn’t last long because I had debts already.”
He continued: “My body has been adapted to all of the bumps and things from the [car] seat.
“It serves me as transportation, serves as a dining room, and serves as a bedroom.”
Mr. Nava spotted his former teacher living in the cramped car and gave him $300. He then launched an online campaign to help raise more money and shared the story on social media.
“It’s just the power of social media is so big now and sometimes we need to use it for good, and not for bad,” Mr. Nava said.
Acquanetta Warren, the Mayor of Fontana, also attended the heartwarming event alongside Mr. Villarruel’s former students.
One of his former students, Melissa Lopez, said: “Everybody always recognized him because when he would go into the classroom, he always has such good energy and he would always be so sweet.”
Mr. Villaruel said that he could not believe it when he received the generous gift. “My initial thought was, ‘Am I dreaming?’ I still can’t get over this experience.
“The greatest feeling that I have right now is like an obligation that I need to do a lot for the world and the greatest feeling is I can do it and I’m going to find a way to do it.”
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Replaced!