May 8th 2024.
Sanai Graden captured the hearts of many when she successfully raised over $400,000 for an unhoused man in Washington, D.C. The young college student from UC Berkeley in California had temporarily relocated to the city for an internship and while walking through downtown, she met Alonzo Douglas Hebron. Graden's initial viral moment came when she documented herself getting Hebron's medication and securing a hotel room for the night.
However, things took an unexpected turn when Graden lost touch with Hebron and had to refund the generous donations from her supporters. She shared the unfortunate news in a series of TikTok videos that garnered millions of views. In one of the clips, Graden explained, "I really did try to help him. I tried to transform his whole life. But sometimes, when you want something for somebody, they may not want that for themselves." It was a difficult realization for Graden, who had only wanted to make a positive impact on Hebron's life.
The unlikely duo became social media sensations and Graden even created a GoFundMe page to raise money for Hebron. The fundraiser quickly gained traction and donations poured in, surpassing $400,000. However, before the money could be used to better Hebron's life, his violent past was revealed. According to the Washington Post, Hebron had a history of assaulting other unhoused individuals. Despite this, Graden remained determined to help him and get him the support he needed to turn his life around.
Unfortunately, the news of Hebron's past caused him to become more reclusive and harder to reach. Graden expressed her frustration in another post, stating, "All I wanted was to get him housing, get him medical care. There's only so much I can do. I cannot force him to do certain things. At the end of the day, he's grown." GoFundMe also released a statement addressing the situation, explaining that the lack of cooperation from Hebron made it impossible to deliver the funds as intended by the donors.
In the midst of this difficult situation, Graden also received support from others. She was gifted $25,000 in another fundraiser to support her own education. Graden ended her series of posts by stating that she would now focus on graduating and moving forward.
The story of Sanai Graden and Alonzo Douglas Hebron serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges that come with helping others. Despite her best intentions, Graden was unable to make a lasting impact on Hebron's life. However, her actions have inspired others to continue to spread kindness and compassion in their own communities. As for Graden, she will continue to pursue her own dreams and aspirations, using this experience as a lesson for the future.
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