A homeless man who helped a stranded woman purchase gas with his last $20 now has a new home thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign. Kate McClure started a GoFundMe for Johnny Bobbitt Jr. after he came to her assistance when she ran out of gas in Philadelphia in October. The campaign has since raised more than $397,000. According to the Associated Press, Bobbitt bought a home over the weekend using a portion of the raised funds.
"I never ran out of gas before, and my heart was beating out of my chest," McClure, who lives in Florence Township, New Jersey, said when launching the GoFundMe. "I pulled over as far as I could, and got out of the car to head to the nearest gas station. That's when I met Johnny. Johnny sits on the side of the road every day, holding a sign. He saw me pull over and knew something was wrong. He told me to get back in the car and lock the doors. A few minutes later, he comes back with a red gas can."
At the time, McClure didn't have the cash to repay Bobbitt. She later started the fundraiser as a way of showing her gratitude for his act of awesomeness. Though the original goal was $10,000 for first and last month’s rent at an apartment and a reliable vehicle, word of the campaign spread quickly and the donations kept rolling in.
In a recent update on the still-active GoFundMe page, McClure revealed that Bobbitt would also be using the funds to set up two trusts, establish a bank account, purchase his dream car (a '99 Ford Ranger), and donate to people and organizations that have helped him in the past.
"It's all happened so fast," Bobbitt, who previously served in the U.S Marine Corps, toldBBC Radio Sunday. "I'm just happy I'm getting a second chance at life."
