Community unites to fund over $50k for food truck owner's dream after devastating crash

Kindness always comes for free and a food truck owner got to witness that after surviving a crash in Milwaukee that ended up destroying his food truck. Andre Richards was going about his typical business day with his food truck parked, when suddenly, a 28-year-old woman driving another vehicle crashed into his truck from behind, per PEOPLE. Richards sustained no major physical injuries, but his food truck was damaged, per a statement released to the outlet by the Milwaukee Police Department.

The police department also added that they arrested the unnamed driver who crashed into Richards' Gumbo Valley food truck on the suspicion of being intoxicated while driving and they are still looking into the matter. Richards talked to ABC affiliate WISN after the accident and admitted that "he lost a piece of his dream that day." Richards has been running his food truck business on Capitol Drive for almost three years and he recalled getting flung to the front of his truck upon the impact of the crash and then blacked out, per CBS affiliate WDJT.

"I saw lights and it just seemed unreal at the time," he told the outlet. "I tried to make it to my feet, tried to crawl out, I had to end up eventually coming through the front because I couldn't get through the back," he informed NBC station WJTM. It just so happens that Richards was talking on the phone with his mother, Carolyn Simmons when the unfortunate accident happened. He even managed to tell his mother that "he has been hit and that he is still trapped in his food truck."

"We lost everything, that's five years' worth of work gone because someone wanted to speed," Simmons told WISN. It had taken Richards 14 months to build his business from scratch and he doesn't bear a grudge against the other driver who rammed into his food truck. "I'm alive, she's alive," Richards told the outlet. "It's an unfortunate situation. I don't wish bad, nothing on nobody." But thanks to the community, several people came forward to help Richards rebuild his food truck business, as an individual named Anthony M started a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Richards.

Due to the community's and strangers' collective efforts, the fundraiser was able to collect over $50,000 in a short while and exceeded their initial goal of $10,000. "Though his physical state is still in good condition, his place of business is now totaled," a message on the GoFundMe page read. "This unfortunate circumstance will most likely leave him and his staff out of work for a while. Mr. Richards is a hard-working man who proudly serves our community with top-tier quality gumbo alongside the rest of his menu."

Richards left a message on the fundraiser page and thanked everyone for their "support and contributions and words of encouragement." He added, "I am forever grateful and I assure you that I am doing well through this healing and recovery process. We will be returning soon. Minor setback for a major comeback." On the official Facebook page of Gumbo Valley, Richards further thanked his supporters and joked, "When life gives us lemons, we make southern lemonade."