A homeless veteran, who received $400,000 from a crowdfunding campaign after he gave a woman stranded on the road his last $20 to buy gas, announced that he bought a home this weekend.
Marine Corps veteran Johnny Bobbitt, 34, wrote on the GoFundMe page created by Kate McClure, the woman he helped, that he purchased a home with the money from the fundraiser over the weekend.
“The feeling is indescribable and it all thanks to the support and generosity that each and every one of you has shown,” Bobbitt wrote, referencing his home purchase. “I’ll continue to thank you every single day for the rest of my life.”
McClure, 27, launched the GoFundMe page November 10 with a fundraising goal of $10,000 to help Bobbitt get back on his feet, but the fundraiser long surpassed this goal after Bobbitt’s story went viral. As of Wednesday evening, the page raised $401,056.
Bobbitt approached McClure after she ran out of gas on Interstate 95 and offered to give her the last $20 he had on hand to purchase enough gas to get back on the road.
“Johnny sits on the side of the road every day, holding a sign. He saw me pull over and knew something was wrong,” McClure wrote on the fundraising page describing her chance encounter with Bobbitt. “He told me to get back in the car and lock the doors. A few minutes later, he comes back with a red gas can.”
McClure and her boyfriend vowed to help Bobbitt after their encounter that evening and visited his encampment to bring him toiletries and gift cards. They created the fundraiser to ensure he had money to survive the holiday season.
Bobbitt also plans to purchase a 1999 Ford Ranger truck and give away some of the money to charitable causes that help others in need.
McClure added that there would be two trusts in Bobbitt’s name — one for retirement managed by a financial planner and one that would give him a small yearly “salary.”
A bank account had also been set up to ensure Bobbitt has enough money for his daily expenses “until he finds a job.”