Homeless Samaritan buys home with money from GoFundMe fundraiser

PHILADELPHIA — A homeless man who used his last $20 to fill up the gas tank of a stranded New Jersey motorist in Philadelphia has bought a home with some of the nearly $400,000 raised for him by the woman he saved.

"The feeling is indescribable and (it's) all thanks to the support and generosity that each and every one of you has shown," Johnny Bobbitt Jr. says in an update on the GoFundMe page. "I’ll continue to thank you every single day for the rest of my life."

Kate McClure, of Florence Township, ran out of gas on an Interstate 95 exit ramp late one night. Bobbitt walked a few blocks to buy her gas.

She didn't have money to repay him at the time, but sought him out days later to give him the money, and visited him a few more times to bring food and water. She and her boyfriend created the online fundraiser page as a thank you and to try to help him get back on his feet. As of Tuesday afternoon the fundraiser has raised more than $397,000.

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Earlier coverage: Helpful homeless man to get house, dream truck, trust funds

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Bobbitt served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as a paramedic in Vance County, North Carolina, before he became homeless.

Story continues after these Good Samaritan videos:

Details on how he wound up on the streets of Philadelphia have been sparse. Bobbitt has said it was a mix of "bad decisions and bad situations."

No information was revealed about where Bobbitt's new house is located. Bobbitt said he will have pictures of it in coming days on his newly minted Instagram account.

There are also two trust funds being set up for Bobbitt, including a retirement fund and one to give him an annual salary, according to the GoFundMe page.

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In addition to buying his house and eventually his dream truck (a 1999 Ford Ranger), Bobbitt says he's donating some of his money to a Philadelphia grade school student who is helping another homeless veteran.

Cole McCafferty, who attends St. Mary's school in Philadelphia, started a GoFundMe page entitled, "Giving Back! #VetsLivesMatter," to help a disabled homeless veteran named Jeff Johnson.

"I met Jeff walking home from school every day and seeing someone homeless – who served our country and lost his leg in the process – breaks my heart," says McCafferty on the GoFundMe page. "I usually give him whatever I have in my lunchbox."

McCafferty says meeting Johnson inspired him to start a Twitter hashtag #VetsLivesMatter to bring awareness to the plight of homeless veterans.

"I’ve seen this man on the streets and although I wouldn’t call him a friend I think he is the perfect candidate to continue this string of kindness," Bobbitt posted on GoFundMe. "I’ve talked with Cole and his father and I really think that they can help change this mans life just like mine has been changed."

As of Tuesday, McCafferty was nearing his goal of $10,000 to assist Johnson and help him reunite with his family.