When Alicia passed a homeless man on his bike hauling a cart full of dogs on the highway, she noticed the man was struggling to peddle. The dogs in the back looked disheveled, and the makeshift trailer barely held them all. She kept on driving, though, and told herself that if she saw the man again that she would stop. There was just something about the scene that stuck in her mind.
THERE’S A REASON FOR EVERYTHING
“God must have put this man on that road at that time for a reason, because as I was returning to town I saw him,” wrote Alicia on Facebook.
Image via Facebook/Kelly Seaton
Alicia felt as though fate stepped in when on the way back she saw the man and his brood yet again. She pulled over in her car and struck up a conversation with the exhausted man.
Alicia learned that the man’s name is Steve. Steve had been homeless since around 2001. When he told her about his dogs, however, it touched Alicia so profoundly that it set off a chain of events that rocked both their worlds in the best possible way.
Image via Facebook/Steve’s Animals and Strays USA
STEVE SAVES THE STRAYS
You see, since Steve became homeless, he has dedicated his life to making sure his four-legged friends weren’t all alone like he was. When he happens upon a stray dog that needs him, it becomes part of the family. Steve found a kinship with these creatures who, like him, had nowhere else to go.
Steve and his dogs were smack in the middle of a 2000-mile journey to join his girlfriend in Indiana.
Image via Facebook/Steve’s Animals and Strays USA United
Alicia was so touched that this man, who had so little, gave so much to these dogs. She knew she needed to help in whatever way she could. Steve’s little family and his love for his dogs struck Alicia very sincerely.
Image via Facebook/Steve’s Animals and Strays USA United
REACHING OUT
Alicia started by getting her mother to log onto Facebook and reach out to animal lovers around the country. And like we have seen time, and time again when it comes to animals in need on social media, within a couple of hours, it paid off.
Image via Facebook/Kelly Seaton
Donations started flooding in within two hours of making the post. And it didn’t stop there, either.
A BED
When a kindhearted animal advocate saw the news, she stepped up in a massive way. Kelley Seaton offered to drive Steve and his dogs to their final destination.
Image via Facebook/Steve’s Animals and Strays USA United
Another generous benefactor saw to it that Steve and his dogs got to sleep in a motel room with a shower, food, and a warm bed. Steve’s four-legged family had the time of their lives. But, prepare yourself, because that wasn’t the end of the help that Steve and his puppers received.
Image via Facebook/Kelly Seaton
THAT’S NOT ALL
Steve and his girlfriend later connected with another animal hero named Angela. Angela runs an organization that helps homeless people care for their pets.
Image via Facebook/Steve’s Animals and Strays USA United
Angela quickly became indispensable to Steve’s family. She has worked with them nearly every day since they arrived in town.
Image via Facebook/Kelly Seaton
Steve will also be receiving a new trailer for him and his dogs so they will never have to be homeless again. He is absolutely blown away by everyone’s unprecedented generosity.
Image via Facebook/Steve’s Animals and Strays USA United
THE PLAN
Now, the plan for Steve and his dogs. They are going to receive assistance to help pay to have the little puppers spayed and neutered and receive the health care that they need.
Image via Facebook/Steve’s Animals and Strays USA United
To help them even further, Alicia set up a fundraiser. As of the writing of this piece, they raised over $35,000 for Steve and his family.
Image via Facebook/Steve’s Animals and Strays USA United
TOGETHER FOREVER
With all the news pounding us down day after day, it is easy to forget that good people exist in the world. Here at Animals Being Cute, we want to wish Steve all the luck in the world with his family. I will end with words from Alicia:
“If it wasn’t for every single one of you, this man might still be pedaling down the road not knowing what hardship he might hit next.”
Way to go, Alicia.
Do you have a story about paying it forward you would like to share? We would love to hear from you in the comments section. As always, love each other relentlessly.
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