Street magician, Rob Anderson, known on his YouTube channel for stunts like pulling zombie pranks on people or free beer magic experiments, explains in one of his latest videos that he wanted to check out a homeless veteran that people were telling him about, and who just wanted to make people smile without expecting anything in return.
The homeless veteran is Alan McCracken, who served the U.S. Army for six years before he was honorably discharged. When he fell on hard times, he eventually ended up in Las Vegas where he can be seen on the streets holding up a sign that says, "Smile."
When Anderson saw McCracken on the street, he was holding up a brown cardboard sign, which Anderson asked if he could hold on to for a moment. At this point he begins drawing dollar signs on it and tears it into neat halves.
At first, the homeless vet seems concerned at his sign being drawn on and torn into bits. But even through his bewilderment, McCracken's kindness shines through and he even picks up the cap of the marker Anderson used to vandalize his sign that reads:
"Homeless. Trying to get by. Anything helps. God Bless."
Anderson continues his routine and all the vet can do is ask, ever so politely, if he could have the magic marker so he can make himself a new sign. But he soon catches on and realizes that Anderson is a "street musician" (actually, magician). And sure enough, Anderson, opens up the sign - whole again! - dropping cash onto the ground.
Anderson says in the comments section of his video that after the cameras stopped rolling, he helped the homeless vet pick up the cash.
McCracken is visibly delighted and grateful for the gift Anderson left him. But the most remarkable part of this story is that even though Anderson has done similar stunts on homeless people in the past, some spark in McCracken obviously made an impact on the entertainer.
On Oct. 3, Anderson set up a Go Fund Me campaign for McCracken in order to get him a motel room for 3 months, decent meals, and new clothes to help him go to job interviews and get back on his feet.
In the first three days, the fund had already reached a little more than half of its target goal of $5,000.
Check out the video that started it all right here.
