Life can be so cruel at times. One day, we have it all, the next, our world collapses and we are left to cope with the harsh reality that we are no longer the people we used to be.
45-year-old João Coelho Guimarães from Brazil lost his home some ten years ago and has been living on the streets of Goiânia ever since. He has had a rough life and is struggling to make a living by collecting cans around town.
However, one serendipitous encounter changed it all for this kind man. Namely, as he was passing by a clothing shop and a barbershop owned by Brazilian country singer Alessandro Lobo, Guimarães enter the place and asked for a razor so that he could trim his beard. That’s when the owner and the employees came up with the idea to give him a makeover.
Guimarães was given a fresh haircut and brand new clothes, including a jacket, three shirts, a pair of pants, and a pair of shoes. He looked like a totally different person and Lobo was so glad Guimarães liked his new looks that he decided to share the transformation on his Instagram account. Believe it or not, it led to something truly incredible.
As it turned out, Guimarães’ family haven’t heard from him in years, which led them to believe he was dead. When Lobo’s photo reached to them, they couldn’t believe their eyes.
“They saw the photo and contacted me and, as he has neither a telephone nor a fixed address, tomorrow we will go through the neighborhood to try to find him,” Lobo explained at the time.
The reunion was a heartwarming one. Guimarães’ sister invited him to live with her and her family, but he refused the offer. “João is still on the streets. His sister wanted to welcome him and take him home, but he didn’t want to. He said that on the streets, he feels free. That’s why he didn’t want to go home,” Lobo explained in an Instagram post. “We thank God and all of you for making us instruments of this exciting moment. 2020 was a year of many losses for loved ones around the world, and in the midst of all this a [relief] for this family.”
What a beautiful story.