A Business Card, A Homeless Man, and the Surprise of a Lifetime

When Shelby Lynn, a real estate agent in Jacksonville, North Carolina, came across a young homeless man on the street, her heart went out to him. This young man was lying on the sidewalk, and she was moved by the thought that someone so young was living on the streets at this point in his life. The sign next to him read 'Need Help,' and without hesitation, Lynn took some cash out of her wallet. After a moment's thought, she also handed him her business card, something she didn't usually do.

At the time, she felt it was simply a good deed. But two months later, she received a phone call that was as unexpected as it was surprising. What she remembered most vividly was his dirty clothes and the dog he wrapped in blankets instead of himself. "I still remember the embarrassment in his eyes when I handed him the card with the money," she recalled.

The phone call she received not long ago is one Lynn will never forget. "It was someone wanting to list a friend's house for sale and arrange a meeting. I drove to the address and the moment he greeted me, I recognized him.

"But unlike the time I found him on the sidewalk looking homeless, now he was dressed in a collared shirt, neatly pressed jeans, and looked impeccable. Even then, I wasn't sure if he was homeless or just going through a tough time in his life," Lynn said.

The first thought that crossed her mind when she saw him in his new appearance was that he had deceived her into thinking he needed money when in fact he was wealthy.

"Later, during an open conversation, I learned this was not the case," Lynn smiles. "With tears in his eyes, he handed me three bills wrapped around my crumpled business card, and aside from being confused, I was mostly speechless."

And then the truth came out. "He explained that his ex-wife left him with nothing, taking all his possessions except his dog. He told me that what he needed most at that time was to feel like someone in this world was willing to help more than just give money, and to believe that he had done his part.

"When I gave him my business card, it gave him the strength to believe that good was not gone from the world and that when people need help, one day they truly receive it. During that conversation, he told me he kept the card safe, and it gave him the courage to get back on his feet and find a new job in his field - engineering."

The house listed for sale was indeed his friend's, but he took on the responsibility of handling it, ensuring that the person who would earn the commission was none other than the woman who helped him get back on his feet, starting anew without him knowing. "It's incredibly moving for us, of course," Lynn explains. "It's a house worth several thousand dollars, and if I manage to sell it, it will be a very fitting reward."