A California man has highlighted the generosity of a woman who was living on the streets but still gave him her food. After a clip of their meeting went viral, internet users wanted to repay her kindness and responded with a grand surprise just for her.
In a now-viral video, TikTok user Jimmy Darts, 28, (@jimmydarts) showed the moment he approached Linda, who had been living on the streets for a few years, and asked if she had any food. Despite her circumstances, Linda didn't want to see another person suffer, and she offered Darts most of her food.
Darts was blown away by Linda's generosity. He told Newsweek that she has "such an amazing heart."
Of course, what Linda didn't realize was that Darts didn't actually need the food; he just wanted to see how she would respond. Following her kindness, he wanted to show his gratitude by giving her $1,000 in return. He said that he was "just helping out the first person to help" him.
Needless to say, the unexpected gesture left Linda and internet users in tears, and the video has amassed over 7.2 million views and nearly 1 million likes on TikTok (@jimmydarts).
Darts said: "I approached Linda in a library and asked her for some food, and she gave me what she had. People were moved by her kindness toward me, and they heard her story.
"Linda's situation was heartbreaking. She used to serve the homeless in her area and decided to live unsheltered to better understand their needs. Afterward, her plan was to develop a more comprehensive plan to support them through what she'd witnessed on the ground, but it seems she got stuck after giving up everything and remained homeless."
Figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Annual Homeless Assessment Report in 2023 show that California accounted for 49 percent of all unsheltered people in the country, an estimated 123,423 people. This is nearly eight times the number of unsheltered people in Florida, the state that has the next highest number.
Additionally, at 75 percent, California had the second-highest rate of homeless people staying in unsheltered locations, behind only Hawaii (76 percent).
How Did Social Media Respond?
As is the power of social media, thousands of users were so moved by Linda's story that they donated to her via a GoFundMe page. The next day, Darts returned to see Linda and told her the news that social-media users had raised $32,000 just for her.
"Thousands felt moved to give in the hopes of giving her a leg up to find housing and become sheltered," Darts said.
He added that he has been privileged to give Linda a platform to get help, and has continued to stay in contact with her. She is now in a home and has her own vehicle, and she is "loving her life" once more. Darts shared a follow-up video to show people how well she is doing as a result of their generosity.
Linda was previously living in a tent, but now she has a home, all thanks to social media; Darts says that the internet "changed her life."
The TikTok video touched millions of hearts, but it certainly isn't the first time Darts has changed the life of someone in a difficult position. He regularly uses his TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube accounts to highlight the small acts of kindness that can truly change a life.
Darts told Newsweek: "Our community across social media was very supportive as always, in both comments and donations. The greatest thing about what I do is giving people the spotlight and showing what amazing hearts they have.
"My goal is to spread the message of generosity and showcase such amazing examples of people's kindness around the world, in the hopes of inspiring others to do the same," Darts added.
The video of Linda finding out the internet had raised $32,000 just for her has gained over 15,300 comments on TikTok. Many people have become invested in her story, and they have praised Darts for shining a light on her experience.
One comment reads: "She has so much life in her. She shouldn't be in a tent."
Another person posted: "She was sleeping in a tent and gave a stranger food. She deserves so many blessings!"
A third TikTok user wrote: "You are making the biggest difference in the world."
Do you have any amazing viral videos that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
