A homeless man sits in the same spot for three years until one woman changes his life forever. For almost three years, Ginger Sprouts would always notice something on her drive to work. There was always the same man hanging around the same straight corner and came to a town, Texas. Sometimes the man was talking to people and sometimes he was on his own. Some days.
In fact, Sprouse passed the man more than once
So what was this man’s story? The answer to that question would thrust Sprouse into the limelight and change the man’s life forever. Ginger Sprouse is a business owner from Nassau Bay, Texas, where she runs a company offering cookery classes. But it was her interaction with a man on the street corner in Kima that brought her to the world’s attention.
Now back to the story. Of course, it was clear that the man was homeless, but one day, in June 2016, Fraus finally decided to strike up a conversation with him. After all, she was keen to know why he was pretty much always there in the same place. On speaking to him, she discovered that his name was Victor Hubbard and that he was 32 years old.
It also transpired that Hubbard was suffering from mental illness
But perhaps the most heartbreaking part of his story was the reason why he’d never moved to a different area. Apparently, his mother left him there on that corner one day some years previously and told him to wait for her return. So it seems that she’d never planned on returning. But poor Hubbard had been waiting there ever since. Anyway, upon learning his story, Sprouse decided to keep going to chat with a man that so many others had chosen to ignore.
In fact, she ended up spending her coffee breaks talking to Hubbard, learning more and more about his past. It turned out that Hubbard had been homeless for the best part of ten years, and although he had been patiently waiting for his mother to come back, social services in the area had been unsuccessful in tracking her down. He was so sweet, Sprouse said in an NBC interview. He didn’t want anything. He was just excited that I wanted to stop and talk to him.
However, she decided that she wanted to help Hubbard more
This is not okay with me that he’s here waiting and we can’t do anything about it, she told NBC. So if no one else was able to take responsibility for this homeless man with mental health problems, she would. With winter approaching, Strauss decided it was about time Hubbard was given a real helping hand. Her first suggestion was to invite him to her house to sleep so he wouldn’t freeze out on the streets.
Hubbard accepted and spent a night at Sprouse in her husband’s house. When the temperature started to drop. From then on, he began staying over more frequently. But that wasn’t all Sprouse did for him. Indeed, she wanted to help Hubbard even more.
However, it’s not as though people hadn’t already tried to help Hubbard before
For instance, Sprouse recalled people giving Hubbard blankets and clothes at Christmas time. But the problem with that was that it was clear he needed a more permanent solution. The man doesn’t need another sandwich. What he needs is someone to help him do something with all this, she told today.
So Sprouse took to the Internet and created a GoFundMe page dedicated to getting Hubbard all the food, shelter, and clothing he required. Amazingly, the page has raised nearly 35 $0 to date. Still, Hubbard also clearly needed help with regard to his mental health. And as a result of all the fundraising and publicity, Sprouse started to receive suggestions and referrals for specialists who might be able to help him. Perhaps Unsurprisingly the social media buzz around Hubbard eventually reached his mother, who was reportedly displeased about the coverage her son’s story had been getting.
For her part though
Sprouse was keen that Hubbard didn’t go back to live with his mom. We’re very hopeful that he’ll make a good decision and not go back and stay with her, she told me today she doesn’t have the capacity to be able to care for him the way that he needs. So where are they now today? The spouses have Hubert living with him full time. They believe that there wasn’t going to be a short-term fix for Hubbard and described their relationship with him as a lifetime commitment.
What’s more, thanks to Sprouse, Hubbard now has a job. In fact, he’s been working in the kitchen of Sprouse’s cooking business. Hubbard is naturally very grateful for everything that she’s done for him. She came round and she kind of saved me. It’s like a Grace, Hubbard told KHOU.
Com. Sprouse and Hubbard’s unusual story is one of true compassion and generosity that should perhaps serve as an inspiration to the rest of us.