“It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” – Nelson Mandela
We all have a choice and what we choose to do with our lives will determine our future. This story is about life, choices, and about paying it forward.
Last November 2017, two lives were destined to change. New Haven Connecticut realtor Roberta Hoskie didn’t notice that she has lost a check amounting to $10,000! That’s a big sum of money and with a twist of fate, Elmer Alvarez found the check.
This wasn’t just any good Samaritan story, in fact, it’s more than that. Elmer was homeless, he was living in the streets and was well aware of how hard life is – but that doesn’t mean that he’s not a good person.
“I got to look for this person.”
This was the first thought that crossed his mind. Elmer knew that he needed to return the check as soon as possible. He didn’t think that this money was for him to keep.
“It never crossed my mind because I made a decision to turn my life over. I’ve been clean for three years,”
Elmer said in his interview with CBS News.
Elmer found a way to return the check to Roberta who didn’t even know that she lost her check. She was even more surprised to see who had the golden heart to return the check to her.
“It shattered the stereotypes,”
Roberta said in her statement, still overwhelmed by what Elmer did.
In the video, you’d see just how emotional the meeting was. Elmer even cried when Roberta offered a little help.
When you are in a situation where you don’t have anything for yourself, when you know how it feels like to be living a hard life – you’d change.
Elmer didn’t even think of himself when he had the chance to take the money. Instead, he did what was right and for that, Roberta helped him get an apartment so he can get his life back and she paid for his rent for 7 months.
Our story begins here.
You’d think that it’s all over but it was just the start of something beautiful. Roberta who now has her own multimillion company knew how it was like to be in a shelter – she was once homeless like Elmer.
Roberta knew what it was like so she helped Elmer go through real state school and from there, they have been working together for a project.
A project that can change so many lives!
“It is his vision that God gave him when he was in shelters that is helping us shape what we are in the process of putting together right now,”
Hoskie said in another interview with Fox61.
Together, Roberta and Elmer are working on a project in building a transitional home for the homeless teens and even young adults. This project would also include services that most of these homeless shelters don’t offer such as medical assistance on site.
Both wanted to educate, give a chance of employment and even teach these young adults to get closer to God. Their vision is becoming a reality.
All these teens, these young adults deserve a chance to live a life that they deserve. They may have had a bad past or the circumstances of life hadn’t been too good for them but if there are ways we can help, why not give them a chance?
When asked why they were doing this, Elmer simply replied.
“I know what it is to be homeless. Nobody deserves to live like that.”
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