Cops Approached A Homeless Man With A Crucial Piece Of Information About His Past

In downtown Tampa in 2015, a man named John Helinski couldn't fall asleep. Barely sheltered under a pile of cardboard boxes, Helinski couldn't ignore the noise of the city buses as they roared past. Anyone who walked past the cardboard boxes was probably completely unaware that Helinski was even there. It was a meager existence, true, but at that moment, Helinski's life was on the verge of changing forever...

Living on the streets

Interestingly, Helinski was born in Poland before moving to the U.S. Unfortunately, the American Dream wasn't easily attainable for the immigrant. In about 2012, Helinski wound up on the streets of Tampa, Florida when all his personal identification records were stolen from him. The streets became his home for approximately three years.

Forced to fend for himself

Tampa, of course, is famous for its sandy white beaches and popular tourist attractions. Helinski didn't have the cushy tourist experience, however. With no way of proving his identity, it was tough for Helinski to even land a spot in a homeless shelter. He was forced to fend for himself as best he could on the streets.

"No one would see me"

“I just managed on my own… I remember having a cardboard box, and sleeping by the bus stop,” he told ABC Action News. Heartbreakingly, he added, “I’d be underneath the benches there, and no one would see me.” To the wider world, Helinski was more or less invisible.

He couldn't prove his identity

Of course, without any sort of identification, it was all too easy for Helinski to fall through the cracks of the system. A further complication was the fact that he had been born outside the U.S., making his identity even harder to verify.

A lost cause

It was difficult enough to find a bed for the night and a hot meal to fill his stomach; the dream of having a home of his own, and rebuilding a life for himself from nothing, must have seemed well beyond reach for Helinski. His cause must have seemed all but lost.

All he wanted was a bed

But one day, everything started to turn around for the homeless 62-year-old. It all started when Helinski decided to try and find a bed at the Community Housing Solutions Center in the Hillsborough County area of Tampa. The hostel, known as DACCO, was to play a big part in turning his life around.

Finding refuge at DACCO

DACCO provides accommodation for homeless men and women. Its mission upon opening in 2015, according to Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative’s Chief Executive Officer Antoinette Triplett, was “to reduce the number of people who experience homelessness, and also the length of time people experience homelessness.”

On the case

At DACCO, a case worker was assigned to look into Helinski’s situation. And luckily for him, his new helper wasn't one to back down from a challenge. The man in question, Charles Inman, explained to ABC Action News, “He needed to have an identification, but we couldn’t get an identification without a birth certificate.”

"No other option but to succeed"

In the face of what could have been an infuriating Catch-22 situation, Inman was resolute. “There was no other option but to succeed,” he said in the report. “You know, the thought of putting a 62-year-old man back on the street wasn’t acceptable,” the Daily Mail also reported him as saying.

The determined police officer

And the lifeline that was offered to Helinski got even stronger. Inman enlisted Tampa police officer Dan McDonald to assist him in the search for Helinski's identification. He, too, wasn’t about to take a lack of documentation lying down. “I like a challenge,” he said in the ABC Action News report.

Slowly but surely making progress

Even though Helinski had been born in Poland, he was a U.S. citizen. “First we had to figure out that we needed a consular record,” McDonald explained. When that had been tracked down, the two guardian angels were able to get him a driver’s license and a social security card.

A shocking revelation

Helinski was no doubt delighted to be able to prove his identity again. He had been taken out of the shadows and back into society. “He went beyond the call of duty,” he said of Inman to ABC Action News, and the sentiment could equally apply to McDonald, too. But the duo then discovered something that shocked them all.

The forgotten bank account

Incredibly, Helinski possessed a forgotten bank account, which he had set up at a Tampa bank. Over the years, the bank had changed its name. “It was Landmark Bank, and then it became Bank of America,” Helinski explained to ABC Action News.

There was no money...right?

Because of the name change, the account had somehow slipped Helinski’s mind. Perhaps there hadn’t been much money in it to start with, so it didn’t stand out as something worth chasing up when the original bank seemed to “disappear.”

Unknown social security benefits

However, as an American citizen, Helinski had been entitled to social security benefits. These had been piling up for years in the account, forgotten and unspent. And when the team finally tracked the cash down, it had grown into an undisclosed but tidy nest-egg.

Every little bit helps

“I think we were both stunned, not quite sure what to say,” Officer McDonald told ABC Action News. And they certainly had reason to be. For the amount, although not a king’s ransom, was enough to provide Helinski some secure housing for the first time in quite a while.

His dream became a reality

“I guess I’m exhilarated, excited, you know,” Helinski told ABC Action News back in 2015. Certainly he had every reason to be, for now he had enough to make the dream of having a place of his own a reality. His first thought was to put a deposit down on a small apartment.

A stroke of luck

Whatever Helinski’s future held from that moment on, it would surely have seemed a lot sunnier than when he contemplated life in a cardboard box by a bus stop. A remarkable stroke of good fortune had turned his life around, though it really shouldn’t be luck that makes the difference between a warm bed and a cardboard box.

Basic human rights

In Helinski's case, it was the kindness of people who dedicated their lives to serving the public — every member of the public — that lifted him out of poverty. Some people in the throes of poverty don't have help at all, however. They have to make tough choices in order to survive, choices that some may see as immoral.

The bitter reality

And being homeless during the winter months in New Haven, Connecticut, means that every choice could be the difference between life and death. After years on the streets, Elmer Alvarez knew this all too well. So when he came across a fateful piece of paper, he knew he had the ability to change everything. But was it the right thing to do?

Life on the edge

Winter was approaching, after all, and the freezing winds and the snow piles that accumulate faster than plows can sweep 'em away were constant threats to Elmer's safety. He was getting older, and he didn't know how much more his body could take.

Worse times

Still, Elmer already had several winters in New Haven, Connecticut under his belt, so he understood the difficulties of the months ahead. He thought he'd also find some sort of work to keep him afloat. In fact, despite his current situation, times had been worse for Elmer.

Trouble with addiction

A history of addiction had led Elmer down a difficult path. And even though he didn't have a stable place to rest his head each night, he managed to kick his addictions by attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Talk about beating the odds!

A strange opportunity

Unfortunately, finding a way out of being homeless constantly tormented him. Getting yourself off the streets is much easier said than done. But pacing the familiar streets on one chilly November morning, Elmer walked right up to an opportunity...

Forgotten paper

Right in the center of the path was a bit of paper. And while most people walking by wouldn't give the scrap a second glance, Elmer stopped and examined the forgotten note.

Massive check

Yet this wasn't a discarded receipt or a bit of trash. Nope, the paper was a freshly signed check. And the air may have whooshed right out of Elmer's lungs when his eyes landed on the amount written on the line...

Life-changing windfall

The amount on the check was a stunning $10,000. It was endorsed and ready to go, too. Elmer could transform his life with that kind of cheddar! And as no one was around, nothing was stopping him from running to the nearest bank.

A phone number

But taking the money never occurred to Elmer — not for a second. He turned the check over. And, lo and behold, a phone number was in fact listed on the back.

Making the call

Elmer walked the streets until he finally managed to track down a friend with a cellphone. As a Spanish speaker, he also had his friend make the call to the check's addressee.

Business executive

At the same time, in an office a few blocks away, a prominent businesswoman heard her phone ring. Roberta Hoskie, a self-made real estate magnate, was the CEO and president of both Outreach Realty Services and Outreach School of Real Estate. She answered the call.

Totally dumbfounded

On the other line, Elmer's friend explained that his friend had found her substantial check and wanted to return it to her. Roberta was floored. Had she really lost something so important?

Meeting up

She rifled through her bag, not believing it was possible — only to quickly realize he was right. Shocked that someone was kind enough to reach out, she agreed to meet the caller immediately.

Recording the good deed

Once on the street, Roberta opened Facebook Live to document the resolution of the stranger's good deed. And after she spotted Elmer and his friend, she couldn't thank them enough for doing the right thing.

Discovering the truth

With Elmer too polite to draw attention to himself, his friend let Roberta know her savior was, in fact, homeless. This struck a chord with Roberta on a personal level that made the events all the more meaningful...

Similar struggle

See, before she was a high-powered real estate queen, Roberta had faced similar obstacles to Elmer's. At 17 years old, Roberta had become pregnant. And to care for her child, she'd had to leave school.

Going to the shelters

She had been in a financially difficult place to begin with. But now, with another person to care for? She and her child had no choice but to enter housing shelters to avoid living on the streets.

Breaking the cycle

Then things eventually started to look up. Thanks to a crucial internship at Yale University that catapulted her life out of debilitating poverty, Roberta was able to break out of the cycle. Even so, she never forgot her time in the shelters.

No coincidence

It was because of her past that Roberta knew her run-in with Elmer was not a coincidence. And she resolved to take the opportunity to pay it forward in a big way.

Something for Elmer

Telling Elmer to wait right there, she hurried back to her office to get her checkbook. She wanted to do more for Elmer than just give him some temporary reprieve.

Teach him to fish

And while Roberta was brainstorming on Facebook Live, a suggestion from a follower gave her the idea. She smiled and vowed, "I'm going to teach him how to fish."

Showing her gratitude

As a token of her gratitude, Roberta handed over a check — this one addressed to Elmer — and the homeless man burst into appreciative tears. The pair then hugged, and Roberta shared her own story with him.

Making a plan

Elmer couldn't believe just how much they had in common, too. Then, with their newfound connection fresh in their hearts, the two parted ways. That's when Roberta put her plans into motion.

Turned away

Mind you, prejudice reunited the pair faster than Roberta had expected. When Elmer went to cash his check — even with a signature and his ID — shockingly, the bank refused to help him.

Painful suspicion

The bank suspected the check was fraudulent — just because Elmer wasn't their typical customer. Fortunately, a quick call to Roberta eased the unwarranted suspicion about the houseless man.

Going viral

Then, two weeks later, Roberta arranged a meeting with Elmer. Thanks to her Facebook video, over 13,000 people had heard about Elmer's good deed. It had also piqued the interest of the news media.

Surprise in store

So, when Elmer walked in the door, he was greeted with applause by a packed room. He was totally overwhelmed. This wasn't what he expected when he agreed to meet! And things were about to get crazier still...

A special award

First, Elmer was presented with a thank-you certificate from Ms. Millionaire Mindset — an organization aimed at combating poverty. Next, Roberta laid out her true plan to teach Elmer "to fish."

Sending him to school

Instead of just paying Elmer for his kindness and honesty, Roberta was going to teach him how to set himself up for success. He was going to be given classes at her real estate school at no cost to him.

Language classes

Before classes started, Elmer would also be taught to improve his English skills. But Roberta had another, even bigger surprise. Emotion strained her voice while she explained the best part of her plan.

A home of his own

Roberta told Elmer that she'd found him a place to live. It was an apartment he could share with his girlfriend, with the first seven months of rent and bills completely covered in full!

Overwhelmed with emotion

Emotions spilled over. Elmer wrapped Roberta in a hug that said everything he couldn't. Tears streaked his face as the relief that he wouldn't face another night on the streets washed over him.

Set up for success

But Roberta thought of everything, even beyond the six-month gift. After taking the real estate classes, Elmer was set up with a standing job interview at her colleague's real estate office.

Feeling grateful

Then, once Elmer felt prepared, he could tackle the interview. So thrilled with gratitude, he burst out, "I'm ready now!" But granting all Elmer's dreams wasn't Roberta's only goal. She wanted to truly pay it forward...

Elmer's good news

A few weeks later, Elmer and Roberta met up to see how he was progressing with his real estate classes. And with Roberta's followers watching live, it was Elmer's turn to deliver some good news.

Passing the test

Waiting to reveal the results of Elmer's real estate exam together, Roberta flipped the cover and beamed. He'd passed the test! Now just one more exam remained between him and an endless path of opportunity.

Sharing their story

In the meantime, public interest in Elmer and Roberta's inspirational friendship continued to grow. And Spanish language television station Telemundo invited the duo on a show to share their unique story.

Downward spiral

On camera, Elmer revealed that the catalyst for his homelessness had been the sudden death of his 33-year-old brother. Then, tortured by grief, he had fallen into a life of addiction and crime. All in all, he had served five stints behind bars. He had also lost contact with the rest of his family...

Emotional reunion

...Until the host told him to turn around. Standing on the stage were Elmer's two sisters! Viewers watched live as the family rejoiced in their emotional reunion. Roberta, who had been communicating via a translator, even wept!

Years apart

Right when Elmer's heart rate had stabilized from the big reveal, there came another jolt. After years of not seeing her son, Elmer's mom walked out onto the stage! It was all too much for everyone's tear ducts.

Paying it forward

Yes, it seemed that Elmer's simple choice to do the right thing had put a set of wheels into motion. A slew of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities had presented themselves to Elmer, and Roberta fulfilled her mission to help end the cycle of poverty.

Officially a realtor

Eventually, Elmer aced his final real estate exam, and Roberta put him on the board of directors of her company. Motivated, determined not to squander his gifts, Elmer also joined the ranks of the National Association of Realtors.

Joining forces

Friends joined by a bizarre twist of fate, Roberta and Elmer then focused their energies on a project — with their non-profit Outreach Foundation — to help other homeless individuals.

Powerful mission

Their goal was to acquire dilapidated properties and flip them into transitional homes that offer services beyond the average shelter for the homeless. It would grant people the same shot Elmer was given. How's that for truly paying it forward?