The work of a good Samaritan is usually reward enough in itself. However, a homeless man is finding plenty of help in return after he helped an NFL player.
Kansas City Chiefs player, Jeff Allen, was on his way to a game against the Indianapolis Colts. However, the snowfall from that day was more than expected and his car got stuck.
Lucky for him, a man named Dave offered to tow him out with a truck. While he got his name, a glitch with his phone made Allen lose Dave's number.
So he took to Twitter to track down the man to give him free tickets to the game.
However, with a reward like that, it suddenly appears that Dave is a very popular name.
Luckily, Allen was able to sort through it all and track down Dave Cochran.
Dave had people contacting him to let him know he was being searched for. He created a Twitter account just to respond.
The man lives out of his truck with his fiancé and pet dog. A lifelong Chiefs fan, Dave was very grateful for the tickets. However, once it came to light that he was homeless, people were more impressed.
Dave has a bit of a checkered past. While he's excited for the opportunities provided to him, he does have a criminal record.
"I was in prison from 2008 to 2015 with a six-month break in between,"
He told the Kansas City Star.
"People gave me chances. People didn't give up on me."
Dave wants to do better, and is happy to help others in turn.
A local news station took a vested interest in the story. Steven Dial, a reporter for 41 Action News, put out a call for donations to help Dave get back on his feet.
Dial was in contact with Dave's family to ensure the money goes to the right place.
Additionally, a GoFundMe was also started to help Dave out. It has already reached more than its goal in only two days. The funds have been placed in the name of a family member of Dave's.
However, after recent news about a GoFundMe scam, some people were unwilling to donate. Luckily, local businesses have decided to take direct action.
Instead of donating money to the completed fundraiser, people have been offering their services to help.
Dave has taken some up on their offers, especially getting the windows replaced on his truck. That should help a little with keeping warm in the winter.
With all this goodwill coming his way, Dave feels a sense a responsibility.
"I've lost a lot of years. I want a better life for me, my fiancée and my son."
