Three days...three short days ago a video hit youtube. A videographer from the Columbus Dispatch saw a homeless man panhandling on the side of the road with a sign that said:
I have a god given gift of voice. I am an ex radio announcer who has fallen on hard times. Please! Any help greatfully (sic) appreciated. Thank you and God bless you. Happy holidays.
This video went onto youtube and went viral. The clip has already been seen by over 12-million people!
Here is the clip in case you have not seen it
His name is Ted Williams and he is originally from Brooklyn, NY. His life took a bad turn a number of years ago with drugs and alcohol and he ended up homeless.
Now, his life is about to change in a big way. He has been offered a job with the Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball team, NFL Films is wanting to talk to him about a job, someone has offered him the money for a mortgage, a $10,000 offer for voice-over work for the Ohio Credit Union League has been put on the table.
He was supposed to be on Jimmy Fallon last night, but his lack of an ID kept him from boarding a plane. Somehow they are rectifying that so he can go back to Brooklyn to see his 92-year old mother whom he has not seen in years.
People talk all the time about bloggers and how they can't possibly be friends as they have never met. You see millions of videos on places like youtube of cats doing silly things or people making asses of themselves and these videos are viewed by hundred of thousand, if not millions.
People use social media to flirt and to meet people of the opposite (or same) sex for whatever. You hear bad things about the whole internet from time to time, bu there is good out there...and this is one of those stories.
Now, this story and you realize that 10 years ago, even 5, Ted Williams would never have his story seen by so many people.
The story has been picked up by every major news organization across America.
Mr. Williams has had a haircut and gotten some clothes and is all over the TV. And as an aside, if the voice-over stuff does not work, the Secret Service could use him as a stand-in for President Obama, as he looks very similar now!
Yes, social media can be a cesspool of meaningless drivel...but in this case, it is the yellow brick road for the golden-voiced ex-homeless man Ted Williams.
I certainly hope it all works for this man and we get to listen to his dulcet toned voice for years to come.
This is one of his interviews from CBS Morning News
And then yesterday he gets to see his mom who he has not seen in almost 20 years! I broke down when I heard him say "Hi Mommy!" and when she said "don't disappoint me now."
As they said in the CBS video, this week there were three people who became millionaires (in reference to the Mega-Millions winners and Mr. Williams).
Let us all just remember that the person on the side of the road asking for spare change comes from a home and things did not go right for them.
We can't save everyone, but we can sure celebrate those who find a way home...
Here is that video from MSNBC in case you have not seen it
As they said in the CBS video, this week there were three people who became millionaires (in reference to the Mega-Millions winners and Mr. Williams).
Let us all just remember that the person on the side of the road asking for spare change comes from a home and things did not go right for them.
We can't save everyone, but we can sure celebrate those who find a way home...
Here is that video from MSNBC in case you have not seen it
Work has finished early and I should be en-route home today, which is a wonderful thing.
I will be back joining Travis' Five On Friday next week.
Y'all have a most wonderful weekend!
I will be back joining Travis' Five On Friday next week.
Y'all have a most wonderful weekend!
