See that red backpack there? Sampson James used it to carry around his meager possessions during a stint of homelessness.
Little did James know at the time this photo was taken, however, that it was also carrying around his salvation.
This remarkable story of fraternity—philosophical and literal—comes from Steve Hartman’s “On the Road” segment at CBS News, and starts with a walk in the park.
“I saw the Indiana University athletic backpack, and since I had just graduated from Indiana, we had that commonality,” recalled Jasper Steinmetz, a recent IU graduate who was living in Austin, Texas. “And I figured, you know, why not talk to him?”
Steinmetz shook the man’s hand and got his name. He learned he was indeed from Indiana and had been homeless for 8 months.
On a lark, Steinmetz googled the name and was shocked to discover that the very same homeless man with the red IU backpack had been the Indiana Hoosier’s star running back: “an amazing athlete,” Steinmetz called him.
Tragically, James’ NFL dream gave out along with his knee. Shortly thereafter he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, dropped out of university, and ended up homeless. With nothing in common but the same education entry on their CVs and the design on their backpacks, Steinmetz felt it was enough that he should act. He decided to set up a GoFundMe to see if he could tap into his Hoosier heritage and raise some money to get James back on his feet.
He raised $20,000 for the former running back, giving him a 1st down to try and get his life back on track.
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“Thanks to an overwhelming wave of support—including generous donations from former IU teammates we successfully got Sampson out of homelessness,” Steinmetz wrote in a GoFundMe update.
“The initial funds allowed us to secure a safe rental apartment for him, supply him with essential clothing, food, and household furniture, and give him the foundation he needed to rebuild his life and achieve stability.”
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James recalled to CBS News what it was like first meeting the young man.
“He told me he went to IU as well. So I was like, wow, that’s amazing, go Hoosiers,” James said. He recognized the Hoosier community was counting on him to make the blessing count, and said he was not going to let them down.
WATCH the story below from CBS News…
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