We live in a very cynical world. Rightfully so. It seems that every time we see someone do something good, there is a "but" included and it turns out to be a bad situation. For the first time in a long while I think we've found a truly heartwarming story of triumph and overcoming adversity.
Meet Ted Williams. No, not the former Red Sox great that is currently on ice. The homeless man from Columbus, OH that was panhandling on the side of the road with a sign that said he had the God given gift of a great voice. Take a look at this video below...
When this video got started I thought it was going to be just another group of people taking advantage of a less fortunate man. Boy was I wrong. Mr. Williams not only has one of the most amazing radio voices I've ever heard (and I work in the business) but he is also the most humble and appreciative man I've seen. You can hear the honesty in his voice when he's telling the story of his life. You can't fake the way his voice starts to break up a bit when he talks about his past of drug and alcohol abuse.
The video was posted on January 3rd and it's already had over 6 million hits on youtube. That's an incredible statistic. The buzz surrounding this man is also incredible. Since he became an internet sensation he's been offered many different jobs including positions with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN, an Ohio based credit union and the NFL among many others.
This morning he was a guest on The Early Show on CBS. Take a look, but I'm warning you that you might cry a little.
Amazing. He is so grateful for the opportunities that have been so rapidly given to him because of his original video appearance. Like I said at the beginning of this post, we live in a cynical world. I can't help but wonder if this is going to be for real and if he will continue to stay clean. I used to talk to some of the panhandlers when I lived near D.C. One man openly admitted to me that he makes about $50,000 a year and has an apartment. He stands on the side of the road because he doesn't want to get a real job. He also said he tells passerby's that he is a Vietnam vet because it gets him more sympathy even though he never spent a day in the military. Needless to say, these people might not be as forthcoming with us as we might think they are.
Not to abuse an old cliche, but I think with Ted Williams that he is as honest as the day is long. I believe that he will succeed. When the interviewers begin to talk to him about the success he switches it over to how happy he is that he'll be able to see his mother and share some of the excitement with her. She's 92 years old and he had prayed that she would once again see him as a prospering member of society instead of a homeless former drug addict. Once again, that's not the kind of thing you can fake.
There might be a lesson here. Like the creator of the first video, take a minute to talk to someone. It doesn't have to be a homeless man on the street but it could be a co-worker that you don't often have any interaction with. You never know what that little conversation could mean to that person. If this reporter never stopped to talk to Ted Williams, he'd still be standing on the side of the road begging for dough. All it took was a few minutes. I think we could all spare that.
Meet Ted Williams. No, not the former Red Sox great that is currently on ice. The homeless man from Columbus, OH that was panhandling on the side of the road with a sign that said he had the God given gift of a great voice. Take a look at this video below...
When this video got started I thought it was going to be just another group of people taking advantage of a less fortunate man. Boy was I wrong. Mr. Williams not only has one of the most amazing radio voices I've ever heard (and I work in the business) but he is also the most humble and appreciative man I've seen. You can hear the honesty in his voice when he's telling the story of his life. You can't fake the way his voice starts to break up a bit when he talks about his past of drug and alcohol abuse.
The video was posted on January 3rd and it's already had over 6 million hits on youtube. That's an incredible statistic. The buzz surrounding this man is also incredible. Since he became an internet sensation he's been offered many different jobs including positions with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN, an Ohio based credit union and the NFL among many others.
This morning he was a guest on The Early Show on CBS. Take a look, but I'm warning you that you might cry a little.
Amazing. He is so grateful for the opportunities that have been so rapidly given to him because of his original video appearance. Like I said at the beginning of this post, we live in a cynical world. I can't help but wonder if this is going to be for real and if he will continue to stay clean. I used to talk to some of the panhandlers when I lived near D.C. One man openly admitted to me that he makes about $50,000 a year and has an apartment. He stands on the side of the road because he doesn't want to get a real job. He also said he tells passerby's that he is a Vietnam vet because it gets him more sympathy even though he never spent a day in the military. Needless to say, these people might not be as forthcoming with us as we might think they are.
Not to abuse an old cliche, but I think with Ted Williams that he is as honest as the day is long. I believe that he will succeed. When the interviewers begin to talk to him about the success he switches it over to how happy he is that he'll be able to see his mother and share some of the excitement with her. She's 92 years old and he had prayed that she would once again see him as a prospering member of society instead of a homeless former drug addict. Once again, that's not the kind of thing you can fake.
There might be a lesson here. Like the creator of the first video, take a minute to talk to someone. It doesn't have to be a homeless man on the street but it could be a co-worker that you don't often have any interaction with. You never know what that little conversation could mean to that person. If this reporter never stopped to talk to Ted Williams, he'd still be standing on the side of the road begging for dough. All it took was a few minutes. I think we could all spare that.
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