When tragedies occur, it brings out different sides to us. We tend to go into flight or fight mode as we navigate how to appropriately handle the situation. We try our best to help ourselves, our loved ones, and even strangers who are struggling as a result of the situation. Depending on how we handle things, I’d say tragedies bring out both the worst and the best in us.
The best in the students at the University of South Carolina certainly came out after Wendy’s employee, Malcolm Coleman, lost his house due to a fire. The fire erupted on his birthday last year. It caught the attention of student Roery Caldaroni who was eager to help.
“Last year, on January 14th, 2019, an electrical fire nearly destroyed the Coleman family’s entire home. It is currently uninhabitable. Malcolm and his mother have been couch-surfing ever since,” Caldaroni wrote in a post on Facebook.
One fundraiser, Alexis Braz, described the family’s home as “a charred block of a building” after the fire struck. Sadly the finances of the Colemans don’t allow for repairs to be done on the home at this time.
“The lowest quote our team received to repair the damages done to their small, 875 sq. ft. home is just over $75,000. Despite working full time, due to an insurance lapse, Malcolm cannot afford the repairs,” he continued.
Then on February 10, 2010, Caldaroni and he and his business fraternity set up a GoFundMe to raise $75,000 to help get Coleman back on his feet following the incident. So far, the students and others inside and outside of the community have helped raise over $45,000.
“Malcolm has gone above and beyond to care for students without expecting anything in return; now we have the opportunity to help out a friend in need.”
Braz agrees with Caldaroni, who is also familiar with Coleman.
“I don’t think it’s possible to have a conversation with Malcolm without smiling at some point,” she said.
Coleman is endlessly thankful for the students’ help.
“I do not take any of these beautiful acts of kindness lightly or for granted,” he said in a Facebook post. “Working in fast food isn’t easy. Sometimes you feel completely disregarded as a person. Thank you all ever so much for loving me for me and for valuing all that I do.”
The GoFundMe campaign is still accepting donations. If it can make (or even break) the $75,000 goal, Coleman and his family would be in a much better place.
Watch the following video to learn more about Coleman’s situation.
