Johnny's kindness repaid

Kate McClure and Johnny Bobbit Jr, after they appeared together on national TV.

Yesterday's Gospel reading during Mass was about the widow who gave a penny at the temple, (all that she had) only to be pointed out by Jesus and remained as one of the most generous gestures ever recorded in the Bible and in history. And once in a while you hear of a feel-good story that goes around the world within a few days. This a modern-day replica of the widow story in the Gospel. A New Jersey woman who was helped by a homeless man after she ran out of gas/petrol on an interstate in Philadelphia has raised more than $360,000 for the good Samaritan. Kate McClure, 27, started the campaign after she said she ran out of petrol on Interstate 95 and a homeless man, Johnny Bobbitt Jr., walked a few blocks and bought her some with his last $20.

McClure said she didn't have any money to repay him at the time but returned to the road several times to give him cash, clothes and food. Kate said: "I wish that I could do more for this selfless man, who went out of his way just to help me that day." Donations have poured in, and the fundraiser has shattered its goal of raising $10,000 for Bobbitt, who was a veteran and a paramedic. About 3,000 people, mostly veterans, had contributed and more money kept coming in. Johnny said he wants to give back some of these donations to people who may need them more than he does. He is planning to get an apartment, get a truck and hopefully get re-certified as a paramedic. Yes, there are many good people in this world, and they may be poor, homeless and alone, but generous, altruistic and kind. May there be more people like Johnny and Kate.