A homeless veteran who has received hundreds of thousands of dollars after giving a woman his last $20 for gas, says he plans to pay his donations forward.
Marine vet, Johnny Bobbitt, said he's been 'overwhelmed' by the generosity of strangers after Kate McClure's fundraising campaign smashed its initial $10,000 target. Donations currently stand at more than $360,000 as money continues to pour in to help Bobbitt get back on his feet.
Bobbitt has pledged to pay forward his donations to help others. He said, 'That's how I got the money to start with, from other people. I have to return the favor. I can't constantly take and not give back.'
He said, 'This money was given to help me. Why not help other people in similar situations or people that are actively helping other people in different situations? Everybody out there is facing some kind of struggle, so if I can touch their life, the way mine was touched, it'd be an amazing feeling. I want to feel the feeling on the opposite end.'
Bobbitt served in the Marines as an ammunition technician. He had been training to be a paramedic before he became homeless in Philadelphia 18 months ago. Bobbitt had money problems, before turning to drugs and having several run-ins with the law. He now says that he wants to live in New Jersey and work at the Amazon warehouse.
Kate McClure said she had planned to use any donations on getting Bobbitt his first and last month rent on an apartment, a car and at least four to six months worth of living expenses.