There are homeless people living in every city in the United States. Some of them live out in the open and people walk by them every day and simply ignore them. Others try to stay out of sight and sleep on park benches or behind garbage dumpsters to avoid interaction with the world.
John Helinski had been living in a cardboard box near a bus stop in Tampa for almost three years before his life changed forever.
He preferred to keep to himself and rarely talked to anyone else. He got by, but his life was not what he had wanted. Few people offered to help or even noticed he was struggling.
One day, Tampa Police Department Officer Daniel McDonald decided it was time to take action. He saw Helinksi often and wanted to help him. He contacted a caseworker named Charles Inman, and they went to work at trying to find a way to get Helinski off the streets.
During his time on the streets, Helinski had his identification stolen from him.
He couldn’t prove his identity, so he couldn’t even receive temporary housing at Florida’s Community Housing Solutions Center. Officer McDonald explained that this made it even harder to help him.
“John was born in Poland, so it made it even more difficult for him to get new ID. I helped him out and said, ‘We will figure this out and get you a bed.’”
The police officer and the social worker both went to the Social Security office to see what could be done. What they found shocked them both. Helinski’s benefits had been adding up for years. They were all there, just waiting to be claimed by him.
He had been living under bridges and in boxes for years, thinking he had no money, and all along, he had plenty to live on.
Both McDonald and Inman were thrilled for Helinski. Helinski couldn’t believe the news.
McDonald continued:
“He thought that his Social Security had been canceled. But we were told it never stopped.”
Now, Helinski could leave his homeless lifestyle and go back to sleeping in a nice bed and eating warm meals.
“I just managed on my own. Sleeping underneath the benches there and no one would see me.”
Now, he doesn’t have to be embarrassed and can feel comfortable talking to people. He can buy clothes and pay for a place to live, and he can live the normal life that every person deserves. Had it not been for the kindness of the police officer and the caseworker, Helinski might never know that he had this money waiting for him.
He would have continued to live under benches and in boxes, hoping for some spare change or a free sandwich.
Now, he doesn’t have to depend on others to survive. He can depend on himself, and it is something he is looking forward to doing.
McDonald is glad that he could help change this man’s life. He added:
“He has the money now to move into his own home. He deserves it. He’s a very good, sweet, and genuine man.”
There is no doubt that Helinski’s life will change, and he will never forget the kindness of the men who stepped up to help him. Hopefully, this story will inspire more people to help others. You never know how something simple could change a person’s life.
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