Young woman raises over $315K for homeless veteran who spent his last $20 to buy her gas
— -- A young woman has raised over $318,000 for a homeless man who, she said, spent his last $20 to buy her gas after she became stranded on a major interstate.
On a fundraising page she has since set up for the man, Kate McClure, 27, wrote that she pulled off an exit ramp on I-95 near Philadelphia late one night when she realized her car was running out of gas.
A homeless man, Johnny Bobbitt, 34, spotted her vehicle and approached to offer her assistance, she said.
"Johnny sits on the side of the road every day, holding a sign. He saw me pull over and knew something was wrong," McClure wrote. "He told me to get back in the car and lock the doors. A few minutes later, he comes back with a red gas can."
Bobbitt, who McClure said she later learned is a Marine Corps veteran and a former firefighter, had used his last $20 to buy her gas. Wanting to repay him for his kindness, she started a GoFundMe page to share the story and raise funds for him.
She has since taken him essentials to stay warm and repaid him for the gas, and her GoFundMe page has raised more than $318,000 — far more than her $10,000 goal. She wrote that she would like to use the funds to help him rent an apartment, get a reliable vehicle and cover four to six months' worth of expenses.
McClure posted an update explaining Bobbitt's plans for the ever-growing funds. "The second we told Johnny about this, his first thought was to pay forward the pay it forward. He is fully aware of the worldwide interest in this over the last few days. It will be his decision and his decision only on what organizations and or private parties he decides to help," McClure wrote.
Neither McClure nor Bobbitt immediately responded to ABC News' request for comment.
At the time of publication, donations had reached $318,000. Check back for updates.
