In January, a student from Washington DC, Sanai Graden, met a homeless person named Alonzo Douglas Hebron on the streets of her city while vlogging. After helping him get medication and paying for a hotel room, their encounter went viral and prompted people to donate over $400,000 to help Alonzo. However, despite their initial success in raising money for him, Sanai’s efforts to further assist Alonzo ultimately failed.
Alonzo reportedly avoided her and lost the cell phone she bought for him. Despite Sanai’s attempts to encourage him to apply for identification documents as advised, he did not do so. As a result, Sanai was forced to return the funds collected from the crowdfunding campaign. The second GoFundMe page associated with the story raised $25,000 to help Sanai pay for her college expenses. It remains unclear what will happen with the donations intended for Alonzo.
Sanai expressed her frustration at the situation and the limitations she faced in assisting someone who may not want the help. Despite her best efforts, their relationship turned sour and communication between them broke down completely. This experience highlights the challenges of providing assistance to those in need and how even well-intentioned efforts can sometimes fail due to circumstances beyond our control.
Sanai’s story has brought attention to the plight of homeless individuals and inspired others to take action in helping those in need. However, it also serves as a reminder that providing assistance is not always easy and requires careful consideration of individual circumstances and needs. Ultimately, it is up to each of us to do our part in making a positive impact on the world around us.
