Harris Rosen, a self-made millionaire, transformed a struggling Florida town with one selfless act

In a world driven by money, influence, and power, only a few unsung heroes emerge as messiahs to help the underprivileged. Harris Rosen, the late self-made millionaire and prominent hotelier, was one such prime example. The world might remember him as a successful hotelier and major investor, but not many might know about his selfless act for the people of Tangelo Park. Yes, that's right! Things weren't always this good for the American businessman, according to a report in TODAY. After a difficult childhood, Rosen grew up to own seven hotels in Orlando, proving that determination and hard work pay off.

Twenty years ago, while Rosen's hotel business was at its peak, the harsh reality of Tangelo Park, Orlando, weighed heavily on his mind. The place had become so unsafe that people even hesitated to walk down the streets freely. Not only that, the education system was also suffering. According to the outlet, the graduation rate at the local high school was as low as 25 percent. Concerned about the devastating condition, Rosen knew he had to step in and make things better. He said, "Hospitality really is appreciating a fellow human being. I came to the realization that I really had to now say, 'Thank you'!"

Rosen began his journey by paying for daycare for parents in Tangelo Park. Notably, when the children reached high school, the businessman meticulously created a scholarship program, offering free tuition to Florida state colleges for students. "We've given them hope. We've given these kids hope and given the families hope. And hope is an amazing thing," Rosen revealed. Surprisingly, in just the first twenty years, he successfully donated approximately $10 million toward uplifting the underprivileged. Interestingly, after Rosen took matters into his own hands, the high school graduation rate of the community climbed up to 100 percent, and some property values even skyrocketed.

Education is one of the most important pillars in creating a society civilized. Similarly, when people in Tangelo Park, Orlando, got easy access to education, the crime rate was reduced significantly. Moreover, when the news outlet reached out to Georgia Gordan, a resident of Tangelo Park, she shared how things drastically changed after the self-made millionaire, Rosen, came into the picture. Gordan confessed that she had made up her mind to leave the "drug-infested place" twenty years ago. However, she later decided to stay when Rosen first began providing daycare for parents.

"It's one thing to offer a scholarship to one person at one time. But to continuously provide this type of incentive for people to go to school for over 20 years, I think, is absolutely wonderful," Gordan shared, revealing that her daughter was also one of those who benefited from Rosen's scholarship program. On a related note, the news outlet also reached Kamillia Crawford, another student who thrived with Rosen's one-of-a-kind education program. Expressing her gratitude toward the millionaire's generous and selfless effort to make Tangelo Park a better place, she said, "(I want to) make sure that I show the world that with his gift, I was able to reach my max potential."

Tragically, Rosen died on November 25, 2024, at his home in Orlando at the age of 85 following health complications.