A young guy who noticed a homeless man who was shirtless and shivering on a New York City subway on a cold night last year was so moved by the tragic scene that he decided to give the man the shirt off of his own back. It was an act of compassion that’s worth looking back at, as it can teach us all a valuable lesson about giving and kindness.
The touching moment unfolded when 23-year-old Joey Resto was traveling on the A train home to Brooklyn and realized he was sitting across from a man who was visibly cold, hungry and beaten up.
Rather than ignore the sight and carry on with his commute like many others on the train that night, Resto took action, offering the man both his hat and his shirt; he even helped him put the shirt on, as he said the man looked too frail to do it himself, ABC News reported.
Resto said the recipient never really said “yes” to accepting the shirt, but that he “just kind of lifted his arms like a child” when Resto offered it up. Either way, the young man said he was more than willing to help, and that he would do it again.
“It just came from the heart,” he told the outlet. “I don’t know how anyone could have walked past him and had extra clothing and not given it to him.”
Watch the amazing moment of selflessness unfold below:
What Resto apparently didn’t know at the time was that a fellow passenger was recording the entire encounter.
That individual, named Läzaro El Feo, later uploaded the clip to Facebook, where it has garnered more than 14 million views over the past year and has been shared hundreds of thousands of times, inspiring scores of individuals across the globe.
The text accompanying the video reads, in part, “#1 Beautiful moment in the NYC subway.” It wasn’t just a giving moment, though, as there was also an element of bravery. Just consider that Resto had no idea whether the man was emotionally disturbed or how he would react when he approached him to help.
Watch Resto explain below:
It’s no surprise that the incredible act of generosity quickly went viral. Resto later spoke out to media, saying he wishes he could have done more for the man. As for his own decision to step in, he called it “a natural reaction to help.”
“I hope they find this guy,” he told the New York Daily News earlier this week. “It’s not hard to spot him out.”
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Resto had also reportedly offered to take the man to his house for more clothes and food, though the man apparently fell asleep on the train after receiving the shirt and was not able to accompany him.
(H/T ABC News)
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