Depending upon where we live, we may see homeless people on a daily basis. Some of them hang out at the parks and others may be found on street corners, asking for some money so they can get a bite to eat. We often see them online as well, and there are many videos about homeless individuals and how caring people were able to make a difference in their lives. This is one of those stories and it is one that is certain to put a smile on your heart when you see it.
It starts with the owner of a salon in Palma De Mallorca who saw a homeless man and became accustomed to seeing him for a few months. He would do more than simply walk by, sometimes he would talk to him while he was parking his car. He wasn’t looking for a handout but rather, Jose Antonio was working as a parking lot attendant. At times, the owner of the salon, Salva Garcia would joke around with Antonio. He would tell them that he wanted to cut his long hair but Antonio kept refusing. Finally, he gave in and agreed.
Antonio was an unlicensed parking attendant for a short while. He wanted to save up some money so he could get his own room. Although he was hoping that he could secure a full-time job, he knew that his appearance was standing in the way of doing so.
Upon walking into the salon, he already knew that he would be a different man when he walked out. He just didn’t have any idea how different he would look.
Antonio got a haircut, a beard trim and his hair was dyed. In the end, it doesn’t even look like he is the same man. When he looked in the mirror, he began crying because she couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Even his friends were having a difficulty identifying him when he left. Everybody was in disbelief over what they saw.
“Before filming we interviewed him and we saw that he really wanted to change his life. He wasn’t an alcoholic or drug addict, only a person with bad luck,” said Santi Oliva, of Dr. Filmgood Audiovisual Studio, who had shot the footage.
Two years after this transformation took place, Jose Antonio is living in a shared apartment and an anonymous donor is chipping in to help pay the rent. He is still looking for a full-time job and working the part-time job.
Antonio is doing what he can to change his life and he is taking it one step at a time. It’s amazing to see people who have helped him along the way.