These Homeless People Had Nothing But Still Put Others First

People become homeless for a variety of reasons. Some lose their jobs, some can't afford ever-increasing rent, some have problems with addiction, and some are just dealt a bad hand of cards.

These people didn't even have a place to sleep at night but were willing to jump to someone's aid with no questions asked. Meanwhile, others made the decision to turn their lives around, and their inspirational stories have helped those with similar struggles. These incredible acts of kindness are sure to bring a tear to your eye and remind you of the good in the world.

You won't believe how one homeless man saved hundreds by foiling a bomb attack in New Jersey.

This Homeless Man Performed CPR After A Truck Driver Had A Heart Attack

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James Pocock had been living in the woods off a Williston, Vermont highway when he witnessed a horrific accident. A truck driver named Paul Bristol had suffered a serious heart attack, causing him to veer in the left lane and "bunny hop" along the guardrail for about 300 feet. Pocock quickly ran to the scene and found Bristol breathless and without a pulse so he started performing CPR.

Miraculously, Bristol survived the initial accident and received six stets in blocked arteries. Today, he and Pocock are close friends and talk to each other all the time. Paddock was honored by the Williston Fire Department for his heroic act and the community pulled together to each him get back on his feet.

Lee Parker Helped Foil A Bomb Attack

Lee Parker, a homeless man from Elizabeth, New Jersey, had carried the few possessions he had in a plastic bag for years. So when he found an abandoned backpack next to the train station, he thought it was meant to be. But as Parker inspected the bag, he found it was full of wires hooked up to a makeshift bomb.

Parker quickly took the backpack to a remote area fearing it would go off and then went straight to the police. Thanks to Parker's heroic act, the bomb was detonated by the Elizabeth bomb squad and no one was injured. An online crowdfunding account was set up for Parker and quickly raised more than $25,000 to help him get back on his feet.

A homeless man, Anival Angulo, didn't think twice before risking his life to save two children in a fire.

Anival Angulo Rescued Two Small Children

In December 2017, a homeless man named Anival Angulo saved two children from a burning home. He was walking in a neighborhood in Las Vegas when he noticed that an apartment building was on fire. When he got closer to check it out, he heard children screaming inside.

He immediately took action, jumping over a locked gate to enter the complex. He was able to open a steel, dead-bolted door and rushed inside. Apparently, the kitchen stove had caught on fire. The kids' grandfather was babysitting his grandchildren, but he forgot that he was cooking something in the kitchen.

Their Grandfather Also Survived The Fire

Once the fire started, the smoke and flames were too large for the grandfather to get to the children. That's when Angulo came to the rescue. He later told reporters: 201cI wrapped up the babies and pulled them out. I knew I had to get them out."

Fortunately, the grandfather also survived after neighbors saw the chaos and pulled him through a window from the back of his home. The children were an infant and a 3-year-old girl. They were hospitalized for smoke inhalation but were okay. According to Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, Angulo saved their lives.

A Homeless Man Stepped In When a Woman Was Attacking a Police Officer

John Green / San Mateo County Times

In August 2013, a female police officer responded to a call about a belligerent woman who was vandalizing cars. When the officer arrived, she had trouble calming the woman since she was much bigger than she was. Soon enough, the woman started beating the officer, slamming her head against a building wall and even trying to reach for her gun.

While there were bystanders, no one stepped in to help the officer, who by now, was in serious danger. But then a homeless man put his life on the line.

Ryan Russo Had Saved the Officer But Didn't Want Any Recognition

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Just in time, a then-unidentified man ran to help the officer. Seeing that the woman was trying to grab the officer's gun, he wrestled her to the ground until the police arrived. Once backup arrived, they were able to detain the woman and the officer was safe.

But before she and the other officers could thank the man, he disappeared. After looking for him for four days, police at Ingleside Station finally found him 2014 Ryan Raso. As it turns out, Rasso had fallen on hard times and had been homeless for a few months. "An officer was being beaten up, a human; so I just did what's right, you know," Raso said in an interview. After locating Raso, the police chipped him to buy him new headphones and helped him find a local shelter.

Ted Williams' inspiring story about getting sober, landing a book deal, and reconnecting with his family will warm your heart.

The Man With The Golden Voice Was An Addict & Broke

Ted Williams was broke, homeless, and battling addiction when his life changed dramatically in 2011. He was standing at a busy intersection in Columbus, Ohio when a reporter from the Columbus Dispatch saw on the sign he was holding that he had a "God-given" gift of voice." Before Ted's life got off track, he worked as a radio announcer. When the reporter showed up, Ted showed off his talent, and practically overnight a video of his impromptu performance went viral. He cleaned himself up and started being offered some paying gigs, including commercials for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Where is Ted Williams today?

He Got Sober, A Major Book Deal & Reconnected With Family

Five years later, Ted got sober, relapsed, but got back on track again. He started giving back to his community by giving socks to homeless people. He also planned on opening a homeless laundromat. He told NBC: "A lot of times, homeless people discard clothes, or they walk down the street with millions of clothes, and they're never in the most presentable shape." He landed a $300,000 book deal in 2012 and appeared in an ad for Pepsi. He also started giving speeches around the United States. He still lives in Columbus and has reconnected with many of his family members.

Vincent Pannizzo Preaches The Word Of God And People Listen

Vincent Pannizzo is known as the Preacherman in San Francisco, Calif. He was working on his doctorate at UC Berkeley when he left the program in 1999. He comes from a middle-class family in New Jersey and is an Army veteran. He gave up everything to sleep alongside the homeless and preach the word of God. He created his own special "church" at the corner of Foothill and Coolidge where, late at night, seven days a week, he gives a sermon. He makes a few dollars from day labor, which he gives to others in need, along with sandwiches and blankets.

He Keeps Others From "Going Crazy" On The Streets

Between 25 and 50 people listen to Vincent's sermon each night. During this time, everything and everyone in the neighborhood goes quiet. No drugs are sold, and no fights take place. He once told a reporter: "I don't expect people to become saints listening to me. I just hope they walk away with seeds in them that someday will flower. I want them to live better lives."

Jerry Serrano, a fellow transient explained: "He is our lifesaver, the only thing that keeps us from going crazy out here. The fact that he's homeless like us - that makes him real. But what really matters is what he says to us."

Liz Murray Was Homeless At Age 15

Liz Murray was born in 1980 in New York City. Her parents were both drug addicts. When she was 15, her mother died of AIDS, and her father, who was HIV positive, moved into a homeless shelter. Liz and her sister were left to fend for themselves. They often slept in the park or on subway trains. Even though she didn't have a place to live, Liz was determined to make a better life for herself. She started high school late but attended the Humanities Preparatory Academy in Chelsea, Manhattan. She worked so hard that she was able to graduate in just two years.

She Wound Up At Harvard

After graduating from high school, Liz received a scholarship from the New York Times for needy students. This enabled her to attend Harvard University in 2000. She attended for a little while, left, and then returned in 2006. She graduated from the university in 2009. Her story was turned into the made-for-TV movie, "From Homeless to Harvard" in 2003. She published her memoir in 2010, and it became a New York Times bestseller. In 2013 she was awarded an honorary doctorate of public service. She plans on earning a doctorate in clinical psychology. Her father died of AIDS in 2006.

Comedian Steve Harvey Was Homeless For Three Years

One of today's biggest and most recognized entertainers used to be homeless. Steve Harvey, who hosts Family Feud and has published several books, spent part of the late '80s without a home to call his own. He had split with his first wife and was sending most of his paychecks to her to support their two children. After two stand-up comedy gigs fell through, he became homeless because he was unable to afford the rent. For a while he lived out of a 1976 Ford Tempo and used gas station bathrooms and showers at swimming pools to keep clean.

He Is Now Surrounded By Family & Success

He once told People magazine: 201cIt was so disheartening. A week is really the maximum you can do. This was three years! It was rock bottom. But even in my darkest days, I had faith it would turn around.201d Fortunately, he landed a gig on Showtime at the Apollo, and it was his big break. He completely turned his life around. He currently owns multiple homes and starred in The Steve Harvey Show. He has won five Daytime Emmy Awards and is a 14-time NAACP Image Award winner. He has four children with two ex-wives and three stepchildren with current wife, Marjorie Bridges.

Frank O'Dea Had A Drinking Problem As A Teenager

Frank O'Dea started drinking at 13 and was an alcoholic by 21. His parents kicked him out of their home in Toronto, Canada. He found jobs, but he lost most of them because of his addiction. He slept on park benches and panhandled so he could buy his next bottle of wine. Around Christmas 1971, he went to a support group for alcoholics. He decided that it was time to get sober. By the time he was 29 he had a steady job and volunteered for a political campaign. That's when he met a friend who changed his life forever.

He Is Now A Motivational Speaker Who Is Inspiring Others

Frank connected with a man named Tom Culligan. They opened a coffee shop in 1975 called Second Cup, which is Canada's second-biggest coffee chain. Frank eventually left the company. He became a motivational speaker and started a few charities. Melissa Ducharme, who stayed at Glendale House and was recovering from substance abuse, said of Frank: "I find it extremely overwhelming that somebody that was exactly in the place I am right now, sleeping in the park ... is as far as he is today. It gives me a lot of inspiration and a lot of hope, not only that but it makes me not think so badly about myself."

Las Vegas Homeless Men Lifted A 5,000-Pound Cadillac Off A Little Girl

One day a group of homeless men came to the aid of a young girl who became trapped underneath a car. Stanford Washburn from New Mexico was one of the heroes, who credited his tribal roots for rescuing the child. In 2006, Washburn was drinking with a few of his buddies in an alleyway near the Las Vegas strip. He witnessed a Cadillac hitting Robyn Rubio, who was just nine years old. Washburn and his homeless pals jumped into action and somehow managed to lift the two-ton car off of Robyn's small body. He later told reporters: 201cI don2019t want to be called a hero."

The Girl Broke Both Her Arms, Her Leg & Pelvis But Survived

The transient explained that he is of Navajo heritage, which gave him the inner and outer strength he needed to save the young girl's life. He explained: 201cI chanted for her, 2018Please don2019t leave us, be with us, be well, be well.2019 That2019s my chant,201d said Washburn. Robyn's mother was terrified following the incident. The little girl broke both her arms and one leg. Her pelvis was shattered. Washburn didn't believe that his actions were anything special. He added: 201cI2019m just one of you guys, a red-blooded human being." The Las Vegas Police doubted the men would have had the same power had no one been trapped underneath the car.

Jesus White Ran For Mayor Of Philadelphia

A man named Jesus White was homeless and living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when he decided he wanted to change things in the city. So he put his hat in a political race and decided to run for mayor in 2007. Somehow he managed to get 2,000 signatures in order to qualify for the election. It's unclear how he got the signatures, but he did so quite easily. He was homeless even though he worked as a security guard. So he saved every penny to make posters, postcards, and t-shirts for his campaign. Then it came time to announce the winner.

He Didn't Win But Was Considered A "Genius"

Well, he didn't win the election. Still, he received 418 votes, despite being homeless for 13 years. He rented a tiny space at a storage facility where he kept his work uniform. Then he worked 30 hours a week for Scotland Yard Security. He was unable to afford a place to rent and was on a waiting list for public housing for several years. He was well known around town. The receptionist at the mayor's office said of Jesus: "He is pretty much a genius, and he could play just about every instrument." He died at the age of 58.