Billy Ray Harris, a formerly homeless man, is finally seeing some good come back into his life. In February Harris was homeless, but after returning kindness to a stranger, he continued to receive kindness from the world. Harris was at his usual spot on a block in Kansas City, Missouri. A woman passing by, Sarah Darling, saw Harris’ cup and dropped some change into it. While doing so, Darling accidentally parted with her engagement ring as well. Given the decision to sell the ring or keep it, Harris decided to hold on to it in case he may see her again.
The ring was worth $4,000, which is more than Harris could put to his name at the time. When given the choice between making easy money or do the right thing, Harris put his own needs and pleasures aside for that of a stranger. A few days after the ring came to Harris he did see Darling again. She was so grateful to him for his generosity that she, along with her husband Bill Krejci, started a fund to keep get Harris going towards a better life.
When they started the fund, Give Forward, they had set a goal for $1,000, but Harris’ honest spirit gained more public support than expected. Over 8,000 people donated to the fund that has now brought in $191,745. Now Billy Ray Harris has a home and a car and he’s trying to reconnect with his family. The nightmare that he had been living is finally over. Now and again he comes across people that had given him change and they commend him on his kind gesture. Harris says, ”This is what they call the American Dream. I want to thank all the people that helped me out. I want them to see where all their efforts, blessings and kindness is going.”
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