He walked 2,400 miles to America for work — yet gifted one of his prized possessions to a kind stranger

There is nothing more beautiful than a human heart that empathizes with others and shows kindness, even when it's struggling to survive. Despite the receding levels of humanity, there are a few people out there who do not think twice before showering others with love, support, and kindness even when they are at a deficit themselves. Kalina Silverman — who goes by the username @kalinasilverman on Instagram — shared the story of one such man who walked over 2500 miles to make money, only to end up sleeping on the streets — but his kind heart holds a wealth most people’s bank accounts would not even have capacity for.

Kalina — the creator of Big Talk — was going about her day when she stopped by the garden of her apartment and saw an old man gardening diligently. She started a conversation with him only to find out the struggles and hardships that led him to her doorstep. He told her that he had traveled more than 2500 miles all the way from Honduras to California — no flights taken, no trains ridden — he had covered the distance on foot. When she asked him about his reason for migration, he expressed that he came looking for a job in America, for he had nothing left back home; he had lost his whole family — his mother and father had died, followed by his sister’s death due to cancer. He also revealed what made him happy — his bicycle — and that he lived, “en el mar” — on the streets beside the ocean, nearby.

The heartfelt story of the homeless man filled Kalina with immense empathy, and she ran to her apartment to get him some money to help with his situation. When she came back, she was amazed to see that he had a surprise for her too — he bought a T-shirt for her from another homeless man to reciprocate her kindness with whatever he could afford. The man's selfless attitude makes us believe in how those who have nothing to lose are often the biggest givers out there — they are always prepared to give to others because they know the feeling of lacking. Further, despite his difficult condition, one thing that remained constant throughout the conversation was his beautiful smile, which was surely deceptive, for it could make anyone feel the happiness he probably never got.

While eradicating homelessness is not entirely in our hands, we can make small efforts to decrease its occurrence, including donating money and goods. A study by Jon Limebury and others reveals that compassion can help reduce homelessness — with support and understanding, homeless people can gain back control over their lives and prosper once again. An experiment by Dr. Jiaying Zhao and Foundations for Social Change proves that giving money directly to the homeless can bring noticeable changes in their lives and standard of living. Therefore, Kalina’s kindness must have helped the gardener immensely, who may soon get back on his feet.

After watching the wholesome video, @charlottelovejohnson expressed, “America was built on people like this... Proud of you for reminding people what America is all about,” while @summergoldenpup exclaimed, “This is heartbreaking, I don’t understand what happened to empathy and kindness and human decency!” Finally, @karmelazion.molly_ wrote, “His eyes smile… the sea and land are his home, his bike makes him happy... Peaceful, hardworking, and kind…”

You can follow Kalina Silverman (@kalinasilverman) on Instagram for more inspiring content.