Homeless Woman Featured in 'What Would You Do?' Found

by CJaye | March 24, 2009 at 07:59 pm

1782 views | 51 Recommendations | 23 comments

Linda Hamilton stood on a street and continuosly asked "Excuse me, can someone call this man an ambulance"? Eighty people walked by before Linda stopped. Linda is homeless and has been for two years she partially paralized and walks with a cane. This story is about what would you do thing when the guy really wasn't in need of help. Linda Hamilton didn't know this guy wasn't in need of help. All she saw a man laying on the ground and as 80 people walked by only one women stopped to help. We need so many more people like Linda Hamilton in this world if the human race is going to survive! Thank you Linda!88 people walked right on by. One even spitting on the ground while he walks past. When hope is almost lost, a woman, who often finds herself homeless, Linda Hamilton comes limping to the fallen man. She stands by him, asking passersby to help call an ambulance. People ignore her and just keep on going. 26 people ignored her. One woman finally stopped and called 911, followed by a man who puts a cardboard below the homeless guy’s head.

After a long search, ABC News finally found the woman whose heroism touched so many viewers on a recent segment of "What Would You Do?"

On the day we first met Linda Hamilton, producers did an interview with her there on the street, and offered her food, which she courteously declined. We tried to contact her the next day but the telephone number she gave us was out of service, and the Newark, N.J., street she told us she lived on didn't exist.

We visited homeless shelters, soup kitchens, train stations, all to no avail. But by showing video to other homeless people and various agencies, we gradually zeroed in on one neighborhood, and a number of locations where she sometimes showed up. And, finally, Wednesday, a bodega owner called us excitedly: "She's here!" That same day, John Quinones was finally able to show Hamilton the segment that had moved so many to tears. He read her some of the e-mails viewers had sent in, which caused a shy smile to flit across her face, and he gave her a pre-paid cell phone so that we could keep in contact with her. When the 42-year-old saw the cell phone, her face lit up like that of a little girl on Christmas day: "My own cell phone! I got my own cell phone! And it comes with a charger!" Until last summer, she had been living in a homeless shelter, but recently dropped completely off the grid. For at least the past few days, she has been sleeping at night at an aunt's apartment in very crowded conditions. We took her to New Jersey Emergency Services, where executive director Genia Philip and her staff began the process of getting her enrolled in programs that could cover her medical costs, housing and food.

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Paschen

at 20:04 on March 24th, 2009

Great story and thank you for the post on this.

jazzyzazzy

at 20:12 on March 24th, 2009

There for the grace of god go I.thats a awful high number of people that walked on by.I think in general people are frightened to get involved in anything or person they dont know.Sad fact of life am afraid.one was saved thats great, but it begs the question who is going to save all the other homeless people.

Amy Judd

at 20:17 on March 24th, 2009

I saw this show! I'm so glad they were able to find her again!

CJaye

at 20:22 on March 24th, 2009

Thank you all for your comments. The show aired again tonight I though it was great. After hearing the story I had to do it.

Olu (not verified)

at 22:01 on March 31st, 2009

Thanks for the story and for keeping it alive. You have done more than I could have ever imagined in making sure that good people get some recognition too. Thanks once again, and may you be repaid immensely in kindness and love. Amen!

Mary Mary Quite Contrary (not verified)

at 21:38 on March 24th, 2009

This brought me to tears when i first watched it on 20/20 - and continues to each time i see it.

Linda is truely the most beautiful lady. And is so muchof what so many SHOULD be.

My Dad always told me... never fear a drunk.... you can always run faster than them.

A similar thing happened to me once.. where a homeless man was laying at a train staion - to this day i have never come to terms with how many people walked by.

It turned out he was falling into a diabetic coma. :(

Not all is what it seems. Be the person you want people to be.

Olu (not verified)

at 21:58 on March 31st, 2009

Mary, I am a grown man, but when I watched that show when it aired, I wept. Yes, I wept. I wept not only for the high number of people that just walked on by; I wept that an angel did not come in all glory and pomposity of the world. An angel appeared amongst the weakest and the most marginalized amongst us. I wept for the soul of the world was revealed, and it was not pretty.

I watched the episode where they caught up with Linda. One thing that she said that almost moved me to tears again was, that man gave me a heart, and I thank him for it. While choking back tears herself. With that man, she was referring to God. Indeed the whole world should try to be like her. She had nothing in terms of money and authority to help, but her heart, which is bigger than most of ours quickly, and more effectively filled those voids. She is a heroine, and I am glad that she is getting all these recognitions for her simple act of kindness.

CJaye

at 16:22 on April 5th, 2009

Thank you for your comment.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 22:02 on March 24th, 2009

Thanks for this story, CJaye!

CJaye

at 12:45 on March 26th, 2009

Thank you Rhonda, so much.

Linda M (not verified)

at 22:09 on March 24th, 2009

Beautiful job well done... This segment brought a tears to my eye... God Bless Ms. Hamilton... I hope she continues to get stronger and have a better life.

CJaye

at 12:49 on March 26th, 2009

When I watched her standing there asking for someone to call an ambulance and the idiot spit I wanted to slap him. Linda Hamilton handicapped standing in pain trying to help another person whom she thought was in need she will be well paid one day. God Bless all.

harringtola

at 04:05 on March 25th, 2009

Remarkable. There are so few truly good souls who still manage regardless of their own trials and tribulations to care deeply about and help others.

CJaye

at 12:51 on March 26th, 2009

Your comment is so right on, this make you feel good in a sense after you get over being pi----.

rodney belanger (not verified)

at 08:33 on March 25th, 2009

How do i send this woman money? We need to promote this type of selflessness and encourage others to do the same.

Karma is real!

Joshua Crotto (not verified)

at 19:45 on March 25th, 2009

What an extraordinary woman she is! Wish I knew of someway we could all send some 'love' her way!

Elanea (not verified)

at 06:45 on March 26th, 2009

Linda Hamilton is truely a gift from God. She has inspired me and has a place in my heart. I was sick watching the other people just ignore her while she asked for her for a complete stranger. To know that she cared about that man brought tears to my eyes! God bless Linda Hamilton.. my prayers and thoughts are with this amazing women! <3

CJaye

at 14:31 on March 26th, 2009

Thank you everyone for all your comments.They are greatly appreciated.

NAYELi (not verified)

at 23:17 on March 29th, 2009

This story really touched my heart i know there are good people out there like linda, god bless her. This teaches us a really good lesson we should always do what we can to help others. If you provide for others he will provide for you.

CJaye

at 16:20 on April 5th, 2009

Thank you for your comment.

duo

at 02:13 on April 5th, 2009

Thanks, Cjaye, for this story about the power of human compassion. This had to have happened up North. Many Southerners will walk past a homeless person who appears to be passed out or sleeping on the street, true. I have. But 26 Southerners would never ignore someone asking for an ambulance.

The truth is that we all have an opportunity to be Good Samaritans every day, even if it is doing something kind for someone within our own homes or for a neighbor. This article reminds me to practice that more. Thanks!

Mary