A Homeless Man’s Sacrifice: The Beginning of Positive Press?

In a world so ridden with disaster, violence and poverty, there is little-to-no coverage of events that remind the public of the good still present in society. The media too often paints a negative portrait of the condition our world is in. Despite the negativity plaguing the news, it is still necessary to publicize positivity, if only to provide much-needed comfort to a broken world. A recent story is just one example of the news that is often overlooked.

In New Jersey last month, a homeless man used his last $20 to buy a woman gas because she was stranded on the side of the road. The man, Johnny, told the woman, Kate McClure, to get back in her car and lock the doors while he walked to the gas station for her. Because she did not have the money to repay him, she stopped the next day with $20 and began to talk with Johnny. This became a more frequent occurrence that assisted in the development of an unlikely friendship.

“He is such a great guy, and talking to him each time I see him makes me want to help him more and more,” McClure said.

This transaction sparked her decision to give back to Johnny. McClure started a GoFundMe account to provide this man with enough money for rent, a car and other necessary expenses. This story gained momentum and by Thanksgiving, the account passed the goal of $10,000 and ended up raising over $290,000 dollars for the man.

“Johnny did not ask me for a dollar,” McClure said.

Even though this man had nothing, he still asked for nothing in return. His sacrifice truly showed a side not often broadcast in the media. Could Johnny’s sacrifice be the beginning of a good news revolution?

Shedding light on human goodness is not difficult. The world may never know about the man who gave free haircuts to homeless men, the nun who helped clean up Hurricane Irma or the 4-year-old that donated her piggy bank full of money to the police officer with cancer. This lack of positive press points to the direction our society is moving. Although countless events in our world are surrounded by hatred and sadness, good news can still shine through. The story of Johnny’s sacrifice has gained a lot more popularity than most “good news” lately. Will this inspire people to start sharing their own positive messages?