Age 72 Homeless Man Given Makeover: 'I Feel Like I Won the Lottery'
With the holidays right around the corner, Leon Brown, 25, and Van Lee, 26, wanted to give back to someone in need, according to KTVI.
The Oakland, California, residents came up with the idea to give a homeless person a makeover that could help change their life for the better.
Brown, a preacher, and Lee, a barber, set out to find just the right person to transform and help in the most generous of ways.
“I make uplifting videos,” said Brown, a minister at Solomon Temple Ministries International in Pittsburgh. “But I don’t want to be a preacher who just speaks words inside a church. I wanted to do something more.”
Brown, along with Lee, finally found the perfect candidate for a makeover.
As they had looked along a homeless encampment on International Boulevard and 98th Avenue, they came upon Mr. Norman walking the streets.
Mr. Norman was clad in a Christmas hat and had a joyful little dog called Midnight perfectly dressed in a Santa sweater.
The men invited Mr. Norman out for a complete day of gifts. There was shopping to be had, lunch on them, and even a bath for Midnight.
Mr. Norman jumped at the chance to be a part of the experience.
“Come get some food and bring your dog,” Brown said. “Don’t forget to lock your bike up.”
Mr. Norman rode along with his newfound friends who helped him out with a haircut. As a barber, Lee was the one to give him a trim.
They also gifted Mr. Norman a new shirt, jeans and a delicious meal of fish and chips that included the works – catfish, prawns, and vegetables.
Lee and Brown spared no expense on the homeless man, also giving him $500 to use as he needed, which he bought a new bike with.
“I feel like a won the lottery,” Mr. Norman said in the video that Lee and Brown took to commemorate the moment and inspire others. “You only see this on reality television.”
The homeless man has a difficult life, as he is a drug addict that was evicted from his home and he has lost everything in the process.
Mr. Norman told the men that he was originally from New Orleans. He has three children and is a proud grandpa, too.
With a new year ahead, Mr. Norman told all his friends that he wanted to get clean and was just waiting for some sort of sign to point him in the right direction.
Mr. Norman definitely got the sign he was looking for in Brown and Lee as the men gave him hope that a new start is possible.
“I’m going to start now,” Mr. Norman said according to KTVI. “You are my angels.”
“It felt amazing,” Brown told KTVI. “It made me count my blessings. It was good for my soul.”
For Brown and Lee, the experience of helping the homeless man was more than they could have hoped for. The two good Samaritans plan to keep giving back to others in need with one kind act each week.
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