PHILADELPHIA – A woman is raising money for a homeless man who spent his last $20 to help her when she ran out of gas in Philadelphia.
Kate McClure, 27, of Bordentown, New Jersey, was driving into Philadelphia on Interstate 95 last month to visit a friend when her car ran out of gas, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"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," McClure wrote on the GoFundMe raising money for the man. "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 (and) his last 20 dollars to make sure I could get home safe."
According to the Inquirer, McClure learned the man was Johnny Bobbitt Jr., 34, of the Raleigh area. He was an ammunition technician in the Marines.
A friend in North Carolina who had been close to Bobbitt told the Inquirer he has a “good heart,” was a talented paramedic and was smart enough to become a doctor. Unfortunately, Bobbitt fell on hard times due to drug and money problems.
Bobbitt has been homeless in Philadelphia for a year and a half.
McClure said she did not have money to pay Bobbitt back the night he helped her. But she returned to the spot where he sits several times offering him a few dollars or supplies each time.
McClure wrote on GoFundMe of Bobbitt's character:
Then McClure decided to go a step further to help Bobbitt. She started a GoFundMe for him, hoping to raise money for rent, a reliable vehicle and four to six months' worth of expenses. She said he is very interested in finding a job.
"I believe that with a place to be able to clean up every night and get a good night’s rest, his life can get back to being normal," McClure wrote.
So far, the GoFundMe has raised more than $50,000 and McClure and Bobbitt's story has gone viral, appearing on websites throughout the country.