Strangers Take Action After Seeing 'Anguished' Man's Photo

They find Sang Yang living on the streets of LA, and drive him back home
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 31, 2020 12:30 PM CDT

An image of a homeless man inspired a group of strangers to find him and drive him over 2,000 miles back to his home state, ABC10 reports. Daniel Lee was among people who read about Sang Yang's plight on a photographer's website: Sang was described as being of Hmong descent from Milwaukee, separated from his family, and trying to improve his life after his phone, wallet, and ID were stolen on the streets of LA. CBS Los Angeles reports that his face in the photographer's image was "crumpled in pain and anguish." It resonated with Lee: "I read it and I was like, 'Well, you know, he's my people and let's see what I can do to help,'" he said. "Let me at least track him down and see if I can get him connected to resources."

Lee and two others searched for Sang on 1st Street near Alameda, per ABC 7, and took him out to eat when they found him. Then they drove him over 2,000 miles back to Wisconsin with the help of donors from around America. "It warms my heart," said Lee. "We had people from Sacramento, Fresno Minnesota, Milwaukee, North Carolina, there was even a person from Oklahoma that donated, so I'm like 'this is our community at work.'" Lee said they connected him with social services after arriving in Milwaukee. "It's not just somebody who is homeless, it's somebody who is lost," he explained, and translated a Hmong saying: "'When you come into my town call me, call me, let me know that you're here and I'll take care of you.' I guess that's the closest way of defining how I felt." (More homeless stories.)

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