When a homeless man in Salalah, found what for him must have seemed a fortune in cash just lying on the street, what he did with the money defied every stereotype about the homeless that society, for some reason, continues to perpetuate.
But what he did after that made an even more powerful statement and has rallied the community, and even the whole country, to help this man in the best possible way.
The man, who based on what he told police, is over 60-years-old, remains anonymous, even as his moving story appears in headlines and in viral internet posts around the world. He also has a daughter, who he wishes to remain anonymous as well, who is aged 5. In Salalah, they’re calling him the “Hidden Hero.” While there have been quite a few stories of honorable people returning found money, like the one at this link, this one might be the most inspirational of all.
Here’s what happened.
About two weeks ago, the “Hidden Hero,” though no one knew him that way at the time, walked into the Police station with his daughter and a handful of cash. As it turned out, he held about 1,000 in rial.
What was he doing with all that dough, the Policeman wanted to know. The man told them he found it on the street and whoever lost it probably needs it, so he was turning it in.
The Hidden Hero supposedly found the cash in a wallet left on a road along a nearby forest- and using the 2.5 rials he had left, he paid for fares to take him and his daughter back into the city and to the nearest police station just to return the money.
The selfless act of a gentleman who, himself, was clearly hurting and left with only a measly 2.5 rials in personal funds which he selflessly decided to give up, understandably pulled at the heartstrings of the community — and of everyone in Oman. One man particularly moved by the story was Michael Badawi, creator of the online local news portal.
Badawi believed that any person who would displays such selfless honesty regardless of his or her own need deserved to be rewarded for it. So using his online savvy, he created a GoFundMe page with the intention of providing the homeless man with some “Good Karma.” Badawi set a goal of 1,000 rials — the same amount the honest homeless man gave up.
Instead, the campaign raised more than 108,595 rials.
But there was one problem: No one had any idea where to find the homeless man.
Ali Bseiso, who says that he was so moved by the story that he took it upon himself to locate the man. Bseiso needed two solid weeks of sleuthing, even searching for the man on his off-hours. All his efforts finally paid off when he found the man and his young daughter in Salalah and offered him the 108,595 rials from Badawi’s GoFundMe campaign.
And then, an even bigger shock.
“His response surprised me yet again,” Bseiso told Times of Oman. “Instead of asking how to collect it, he asked me how to donate it to The Trussell trust and other food service providers for people in need.”
As a result, dozens of others in the community’s homeless population ate well. But it wasn’t as if the “Hidden Hero” wanted nothing out of the whole situation. The man handed Bseiso a handwritten note explaining what he is really looking for.
A job — so he can earn his own money and feed his 5-year-old daughter.
The man, who based on what he told police, is over 60-years-old, remains anonymous, even as his moving story appears in headlines and in viral internet posts around the world. He also has a daughter, who he wishes to remain anonymous as well, who is aged 5. In Salalah, they’re calling him the “Hidden Hero.” While there have been quite a few stories of honorable people returning found money, like the one at this link, this one might be the most inspirational of all.
Here’s what happened.
About two weeks ago, the “Hidden Hero,” though no one knew him that way at the time, walked into the Police station with his daughter and a handful of cash. As it turned out, he held about 1,000 in rial.
What was he doing with all that dough, the Policeman wanted to know. The man told them he found it on the street and whoever lost it probably needs it, so he was turning it in.
The Hidden Hero supposedly found the cash in a wallet left on a road along a nearby forest- and using the 2.5 rials he had left, he paid for fares to take him and his daughter back into the city and to the nearest police station just to return the money.
The selfless act of a gentleman who, himself, was clearly hurting and left with only a measly 2.5 rials in personal funds which he selflessly decided to give up, understandably pulled at the heartstrings of the community — and of everyone in Oman. One man particularly moved by the story was Michael Badawi, creator of the online local news portal.
Badawi believed that any person who would displays such selfless honesty regardless of his or her own need deserved to be rewarded for it. So using his online savvy, he created a GoFundMe page with the intention of providing the homeless man with some “Good Karma.” Badawi set a goal of 1,000 rials — the same amount the honest homeless man gave up.
Instead, the campaign raised more than 108,595 rials.
But there was one problem: No one had any idea where to find the homeless man.
Ali Bseiso, who says that he was so moved by the story that he took it upon himself to locate the man. Bseiso needed two solid weeks of sleuthing, even searching for the man on his off-hours. All his efforts finally paid off when he found the man and his young daughter in Salalah and offered him the 108,595 rials from Badawi’s GoFundMe campaign.
And then, an even bigger shock.
“His response surprised me yet again,” Bseiso told Times of Oman. “Instead of asking how to collect it, he asked me how to donate it to The Trussell trust and other food service providers for people in need.”
As a result, dozens of others in the community’s homeless population ate well. But it wasn’t as if the “Hidden Hero” wanted nothing out of the whole situation. The man handed Bseiso a handwritten note explaining what he is really looking for.
A job — so he can earn his own money and feed his 5-year-old daughter.
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