One homeless man's selfless gesture has changed his life forever.
When New Haven's Elmer Alvarez found a cheque for $US10,000 on the footpath, he didn't skip a beat before returning it to its rightful owner, US businesswoman Roberta Hoskie.
Through the help of a friend, Mr Alvarez tracked down Ms Hoskie and gave her a call.
"I was just thinking about how that person was feeling by losing an amount of a cheque like that, an amount of money like that," he told Fox 8.
"I'd be feeling kind of desperate."
Ms Hoskie was shocked to reveal such an honest call, and arranged for Mr Alvarez to come to a Chamber of Commerce meeting in order to return the cheque.
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Little did Mr Alvarez know she had other plans in mind. As he walked in, reporters were lined up, ready to capture something special.
"He has no idea what's about to happen," said Ms Hoskie.
Though she worked her way up to becoming a founder and CEO of Outreach Realty Servicing and Outreach School of Real Estate, Ms Hoskie revealed that her younger years had seen a lot of struggle, and that she was also once made homeless.
"He has no idea who the person was behind the cheque," she said.
"There was a time in my life where I wouldn't be able to give anything. To be able to be in a position to give, it's so heartfelt.
"He didn't know that I was a single mother. I at once point was on welfare. At once point found myself homeless.
"I have always prayed, 'God, if you bless me, bless me so that I may be a blessing to others.'"
Mr Alvarez handed over the cheque, telling Fox61 that seeing Ms Hoskie's reaction was better than $10,000.
"Seeing her happy, seeing her appreciating it and all that made me feel good."
Mr Alvarez's good deed would not go unrewarded. Ms Hoskie told him he didn't "have to worry about being the cold" anymore. She had housing for him.
Ms Hoskie gifted Mr Alvarez six months rent already paid for, wrote him a cheque, and arranged for him to receive an education, giving him free tuition for her real estate course and English classes.
Her gifts came with just one condition.
"When you get on your feet, you go ahead, and you do it for the next person and the next person and the next person."
Mr Alvarez accepted, breaking down in tears.
"There needs to be more people like Elmer Alvarez. He's a golden heart guy. He's a phenomenal guy."
Newshub.
