On her way home to Arkansas, Alicia Edrington encountered an elderly man on the road. As she approached, she saw that he was carrying ten dogs in a cart from the back of his bike, tugging the furry pets along arduously.
Alicia drove on but could not forget what she had seen. She promised herself that if she saw the man again she would stop and help him.
Sure enough, Alicia soon re-encountered the struggling cyclist.
She learnt that the man, Steve, was from California and had been homeless since 2001. He had for several years devoted all his time to taking care of animals in need and used up all his money to helping vulnerable animals. In recent years, he had helped over 50 dogs.
Steve was on a long drive to see his girlfriend, also an animal lover, who lived over 3,000 miles away in Indiana.
Upon learning his story, Alicia was determined to assist him. With help from her mom, she launched a petition through Facebook targeting other animal lovers across the United States. It took just a few hours before donations came pouring in. A woman even offered to drive Steve and his dogs to his girlfriend in Indiana.
Steve and the dogs are now housed in a warm and comfortable motel where they could rest. They were put in contact with Angela, a woman who runs an organization that specializes in helping homeless people and their animals. In just a few days, Steve and the dogs’ lives were radically transformed.
Steve is overwhelmed by all the support he has received. He will, among other things, get a new caravan for himself and his dogs, so as never to be homeless again. The dogs will also receive all the medical help they need to lead long and happy lives.
“If it wasn’t for every single one of you this man might still be pedaling down the road not knowing what hardship he might hit next,” writes Alicia about all the support Steve has received.
You can follow Steve’s journey on his Facebook-page
I am utterly moved when I read about people like Steve – people that despite difficult life situations choose to help animals that have also had tough lives. He is indeed a true hero, and I’m so glad that he and the dogs are getting the help they deserve!
