What started with a car break-in in Seattle’s University District has turned into a fresh start for a man who had been homeless for seven years.
Holly and Brandon Dunn said the thief who broke into their car took the most irreplaceable items they owned, the ashes, ceramic paw prints, and a memorial stuffed animal of their late Chihuahua, Tia.
The items were later left in a bag in a dumpster.
A homeless man named Chris found the bag and kept it because he knew it mattered to someone. He later spotted a flyer the Dunns had put up and reached out to return the memorial items. He did not ask for anything in return.
Now Chris is moving into his first apartment after seven years on the streets, with support from a GoFundMe organised by Kathryn Michie, who helped post flyers during the search for Tia’s remains.
The fundraiser had raised more than $5,600 for rent, furniture and care for Reo, a dog Chris rescued from the street.
“I just got off the phone with Chris and he’s absolutely floored with the support from this community!” Michie wrote in a May 6 update.
“Thank you to everyone who is changing his life for the better. He is such an angel and deserves all the help!”
There was still $1,000 left before the fundraiser reached its $7,000 goal.
Read more from GoFundMe.
