Homeless For Years, Man Learns Of Forgotten Bank Account That Changes His Life

John Helinski lived homeless in the downtown area of Tampa, Florida for over three years and often felt as if he was invisible. He says he felt like nothing much mattered and that he would just have to manage life on his own. Well, the homeless man who spent years on the street actually got help from Good Samaritans that helped him locate a forgotten bank account that changed his life.

According to The Daily Mail, Helinski lived in a cardboard box at a Tampa bus stop for three years. The personal identification of this 62-year-old man had been stolen so trying to apply at homeless shelters was almost impossible.

“Sleeping underneath the benches there and no one would see me,” Helinski said.

Well, there are good people out there and someone stepped up to help the homeless man in Tampa, who was born in Poland. Now an American citizen, Helinski was one day approached by Tampa Police Officer Dan McDonald who got the man in touch with DACCO Case Manager Charles Inman.

“He needed to have an identification, but we couldn’t get an identification without a birth certificate. There was no other option to succeed. You know, the thought of putting a 62-year-old man back on the street wasn’t acceptable.”

Inman helped Helinski get a driver’s license and a Social Security card. Both Inman and Officer McDonald knew that this would help him get back on his feet a little, and at least get into some of the homeless shelters.

As ABC Action News reported, that wasn’t the end of Helinski’s good fortune.

John Helinski also learned that he had a bank account that had long been forgotten about. It was at a bank branch in Tampa, and he didn’t even remember it was there at all.

“At that time, it was Landmark Bank. Then it became Bank of America. I guess I’m exhilarated, excited, you know.”

In the bank account was a good bit of money that Helinski never even knew was there. He had Social Security benefits that had been piling up in the account for years without his knowledge. It was actually enough money to buy him some permanent housing, so he wouldn’t have to live in a shelter.

For someone like John Helinski, going through life as a homeless man was something that he had learned to live with and accept. Some Good Samaritans not only got him back on his feet and helped him, but allowed him to find a bank account that changed his life. One good deed can change the life of someone for so much good.

[Image via WFTS]