Homeless Man Counts Change At Restaurant, Then Three Teens Drop Heavy Bag Of Gifts At His Feet

Mar 11, 2021

One quiet evening back in 2017, Ryan Cook and his friends Alberto Montiel and Joshua Mechell decided to grab some dinner at a local Chick-fil-A restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas. It wasn’t long before the three teenage boys noticed a homeless man sitting at a table nearby. The man, Eddie, was counting his change and finding it difficult to scrape together enough money for that evening’s meal.

On the table, Eddie had a photo of Jesus and a worn Bible. According to the staff at Chick-fil-A, Eddie was a frequent patron of the restaurant. However, it was rare for him to ask for handouts unless it was for his beloved dog, Socks.

Whenever he receives food, he gives Socks some first. He’s frequently coming in seeking water to fill his dog’s bowl.

However, on that particular night, events were about to take an unexpected turn for Eddie and his dog, Socks. The three teenage boys — Cook, Montiel and Mechell — decided to purchase Eddie some gift cards to the restaurant. However, they came to the decision that these cards weren’t enough for the man and his dog.

After finishing their meal and making the gift card purchase, the three boys headed to Dick’s Sporting Goods. The boys spent $50 on a winter hat, first-aid kit, three shirts and a winter jacket. After the store learned what the boys were doing, Dick’s donated some display items and $20 toward their cause. As the boys walked back inside the restaurant, Cook started recording on his cell phone.

Eddie was still sitting at the table alongside his Bible and counting his change when the young men stepped in with their gifts.

"His reaction was basically priceless,” Cook told Fox News back in 2017. “Once we gave him that jacket he had a big ole smile on his face and it was just probably one of the greatest feeling I've had in the world. Not only for myself, but just to know that we did something great for somebody else.”

Everyone ought to watch Eddie’s reaction, which Cook recorded and uploaded to social media. Alongside the video, Cook also wrote a Facebook post stating that they were trying to set an example for everyone else.

“This was a homeless man that me and my buddies saw in Chick-Fil-A struggling to buy a meal,” the Jan. 27, 2017, Facebook post reads. “He had a worn bible on the table with a picture of Jesus and some change he was counting. The staff said he came in all the time but didn't bother anyone or ask for handouts except for when he is looking for water for his dog sock … After we gave him the stuff he said this is almost like Christmas because I didn't get anything for Christmas this year … Just setting an example for everyone else. Be selfless and do good for others, then the world would be a better place for everyone. Felt the need to post this to inform others to do better not to gain anything from it."

Cook’s post has since gone viral, accumulating more than 300,000 likes, 100,000 shares and 40,000 comments. While many of the comments on the video are positive, some viewers seemed to question Cook’s motives for posting the video.

“What's the point in the video though? Yea you did a self less act awesome but why the video? Real ppl don't look for recognition,” Joseph Mcbribe wrote on Facebook. “I buy homeless ppl groceries all the time … I know you wanted to go viral but for what reason exactly?”

But Cook claims that neither he or his friends intended to share the video at first.

“My mom actually told me to,” Cook explained in a 2017 interview with the Daily Mail. “Basically because to show and be examples to other people. And it was great to see responses we were getting because I didn't realize it'd blow up to be that big.”

Cook added that his goal was to “inspire people to make a difference,” not to draw attention to himself. And while there are certainly a few naysayers, there are also thousands of positive comments thanking Cook and his friends for their selfless act.

“This is absolutely beautiful,” Michelle Hodges commented. “Wonderful job guys... This is a moment none of you will ever forget … I know a few mamas out there so proud of her boys... Love it.”

“Ryan, you have made my day,” Susan King Heierman added “What good hearts you and your friend have. This act of kindness will return to you guys ten fold. 💕"

Cook and his friends’ gesture is especially heartwarming given how many homeless people there are in Texas. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, there are around 25,000 homeless individuals out on a given night.

“(Affordable housing is) an issue across the state and across the nation,” said Brenda Mascorro, executive director of the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless, in a 2019 interview with The Texas Tribune. “The deficiency right now is that we just don’t have enough affordable housing for individuals that are becoming homeless.”

When The Texas Tribune asked homeless residents like Eddie for their opinion on the matter, they emphasized the fact that many approaches that seek to address homelessness seem to push the problem out of view. For example, a homeless woman who goes by Harvest explained that people have the wrong idea about people who don’t have a place to sleep at night. Many stigmatize the homeless and think of them as criminals or addicts. But Harvest argued that normal folks who live paycheck to paycheck might be closer than they think to becoming homeless.

All of this brings us back to Cook, Montiel and Mechell’s random act of kindness. Not only did Cook and his friends treat this man with kindness and make his week by providing him with a few essentials, but they also took to social media to raise awareness about the issue of homelessness.

“We just want to make the world a better place to live in, and we want to inspire people to make a difference,” Mechell said in an interview with the Daily Mail.

What do you think of the incredible acts of kindness of these teens? Let us know your thoughts and pass this along to your friends and family members to inspire them to do something good today!