The homeless Boston man who turned in a bag filled with $40,000 and was rewarded by anonymous online donors finally got the chance to meet the man who started the fundraising page for him.
A campaign on GoFundMe.com raised at least $147,300 in just 14 days for the good deed done by Glen James. The ultimate goal is to raise $250,000 and Ethan Whittington, the man who organized the enterprise, said on Thursday that money's still steadily rolling in.
"If we can all come together and do one thing for one person why do we have to stop there?" Whittington told local news station WHDH.
Some contributors have contacted James with hopes to extend helping hands even further, offering James dental care and help in finding employment.
Whittington said he's been in "complete shock" about the positive response, Denver ABC 7 reported.
"It gets you thinking. Imagine the possibilities if we continue to do this as a nation," Whittington said breathlessly during the meet up with James. "It's so inspiring to see the way that everyone is coming together."
Whittington told ABC7 that James is "ecstatic." He told James he should look for someone to help him handle the cash when he receives it.
"I want to be very careful about how we go about doing it," Whittington stated. "It's a lot of money. If someone came up to me and handed me a hundred grand, I wouldn't know what the hell to do with it."
Almost 6,000 strangers from the United States and abroad have donated money to James. Some citizens of Brazil, France and Australia have contributed to the online pot as well.
"I want this to come out to be a positive influence for his life, not for it to be completely out of control, and then we have some horror story a couple of months from now," Whittington told ABC7.
James discovered the bag, filled with personal documents and cash, outside of a TJ Maxx store in Dorchester, Mass. earlier in September. After he called the police, the owner-an exchange student from China-picked up his belongings.
After Whittington created the donation website, James contacted him online to thank him.
"I am so glad that a total stranger can be so kind," James told Whittington.
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