Nine months ago, Kenneth Smith was lying out of an Outback Steakhouse with his yellow backpack for a pillow. He was hungry and”at the point of giving up on life.”
This was until he met Laura Hodges, the managing partner of the Fort Worth, Texas, eatery.
“I said I was hungry, starving, and actually looking for someplace to stay,” Smith said.
It is a struggle he was facing while living on the streets for the past four to five decades.”
Laura Hodges, the managing partner of the Fort Worth, Texas, Outback location urged Smith inside to eat some hot food.
“I ended up giving him my business card,” Hodges said.
“And I’m like, ‘look, I don’t know if you hang out here very often, but if you ever need a meal or anything like this is my card … just come in any time you just need something to eat … we’re happy to help you.'”
“To me, she is an angel. She is an angel from up above,” Smith stated.
“If it were not for her, I would not even be here.”
“He managed to get clean and all of the fantastic stuff and feel great about working the following day,” Hodges said.
Hodges posted on social media,”I have recently employed a homeless gentleman. He’s wonderful and works really hard. He tries to cover a motel room every day.”
“Does anybody know of a motel close by that rents for less than $60 per night. He’s just trying to have a fresh start.”
“People just thought it was so good that he had been working and trying and [they] wanted to see him do well.”
“They just started building a relationship with him.”
“My article literally just asked if anyone had a hotel recommendation. It never asked for help, but that is the way they took it.”
“She just wanted to do something which helped someone… I think that’s exactly what just started that’pay it forward’ mindset,” Hodges stated.
“I just believe that paying it forward mindset [has] just been abundant… in our world at the moment and our community,” Hodges shared.
