John was born with a golden spoon in his mouth. His father owned a restaurant that he started from scratch and John inherited the family business. Throughout the years, John succeeded in expanding his father’s business and climbing the mountain even further.
However, this journey came at the expense of his loved ones. John strayed far away from his friends and family while growing his business, thinking he’ll correct his wrongs later on in life. One day, the doctors gave him shocking news forcing him to find the heir to his fortune.
However, this journey came at the expense of his loved ones. John strayed far away from his friends and family while growing his business, thinking he’ll correct his wrongs later on in life. One day, the doctors gave him shocking news forcing him to find the heir to his fortune.
Growing the Empire
John had one goal throughout his entire life, which was to grow what he inherited from his father. At 25 years of age, he was given the responsibility of managing his family’s business. It felt like a huge burden at that time, but John knew what his father would have wanted him to do.
Despite having little knowledge and experience, John jumped into the business and took on the challenge he thought he never could. Fast forward to five decades, the restaurant had a legacy of its own by now.
The Lonely Businessman
John managed to expand his father’s business throughout the nation and started two more restaurants in his own hometown. It would be unfair to not count him as one of the most decorated and successful businessmen in the fine-dine industry, but it would be correct to say he sacrificed a lot in coming all this way.
You see, John centered his life around his family’s business. It became such an obsession for him that he never paid heed to building real-life social relationships. As a matter of fact, he never even had time to find a romantic partner for himself.
The Time Approaches
With such a hefty sacrifice, the return John received was indeed substantial too. His restaurant chain had grown immensely and the businessman had now become a millionaire. However, John had no idea where to use this money as he had no friends, family, or relatives.
If this loneliness wasn’t enough of a burden for him, John’s age finally caught up to him. Although he was still healthy for someone in his late 70s, one day John woke up feeling immense pain in his abdomen.
Remember Your Demise
John was taken to the ER immediately and the doctors there broke some seriously bad news to the millionaire. He had been suspecting something was wrong with his body recently, but he never did anything about it hoping it would go away itself.
By the time it was discovered, the matter had gotten out of hand. John was on a ticking clock; his death was coming at him fast. It was revealed that he had a severe infection that had grown significantly in his body.
It’s Time to Go
Although the exact time John had left was unknown, it seemed that he had but a couple of months to wrap things up in life. The hardest part was that John had to confront all of this alone, with no friends or family to depend upon for emotional care.
The millionaire was forced to rethink his priorities in life. The restaurant chain he had built throughout his life won’t be going with him into the grave. It seemed that he spent his entire life working for something so temporary, and it wasn’t worth it.
The Rightful Heir
John could now either give away all of his money to donations and spend the rest of his days in a ward awaiting the strike of death, or he could have someone commit to the restaurant’s legacy that he spent years growing. He desired that the business should continue even after he was gone, but who will take the lead?
While he was being treated in the hospital, a light bulb shone above his head. This idea he got was absurd, but did absurdities even matter anymore? After weeks of darkness, the millionaire got up from bed and decided to set things straight in his life once and for all.
Loyal Employees
John didn’t have blood relatives to count on, the only people he was close to were the ones who handled the operations of his restaurants. His idea of finding a successor involved the employees who worked for him. This scheme would allow John to leave this world with contentment in his heart.
John’s employees were working for him for years and by now, he had somewhat of an idea about the type of people they were. Moreover, these managers of John’s restaurant chain were experienced enough to run things the way John wanted. So, it made sense for John to have them involved in his test.
Determining the Successor
John’s idea was to test these people and determine who is the worthiest to become his successor. This did sound a bit foolish, but at this point, nothing really mattered for John except finding a suitable heir to his business. Note that his plan was still to donate half of his wealth, while the rest of it would go to the unnamed heir.
John even paid some people to make sure his experiments go the way it is planned. While John was away, these people took care of the arrangements and ensured everything is just right.
The Wealthiest Homeless Man
The main point was to keep the candidates unaware that a test is being conducted on them. John obviously couldn’t join while looking like himself, which is why he got a makeover. So, he disguised himself as a homeless man.
He took off his classy suit, hid his luxurious car, and got a poor haircut to fit into the homeless man's look. Now, nobody could look at John and even think that he’s a wealthy millionaire who owns several restaurants across the nation.
Walking in The Shoes of The Poor
John was born with a golden spoon, which is why he never faced a financially tough time in his life. Being poor was something he was never familiar with, but today he was realizing what it meant to be treated as someone from the lower class. As he sat across the street with a cup in his hand, the stares he received from bystanders were enough to break his heart.
Almost everyone looked at him as if he was a thief or a looter despite the fact he did nothing like this in his entire life. John sat there hoping his restaurant employees don’t disappoint him, but his hopes were proved false.
Kicked Out of His Restaurant
John entered one of his own restaurants nearby and decided to speak to the manager. However, before words even came out of his mouth, the manager screamed at him forcing him to leave. The guards came into the frame and took John out of the place.
The millionaire was baffled by the behavior of his very own employees. He knew the manager for a long time and always thought of him to be a polite and generous man, but alas!
A Meal Was All He Needed
As John was being kicked out, he tried telling them that he only came here for a meal because he hadn’t eaten anything all day. Unfortunately, nobody cared about what the homeless man wanted. They didn’t listen to him and shoved him out of his own restaurant.
A chef present at the scene even stated that he would rather have the food thrown into the bin than fed to the homeless man. John felt lost in his thoughts. Did he really hire these people to run his restaurant?
The Truth Revealed
After being treated so harshly, John thought of revealing the truth to the staff. He asked the manager to fulfill one last request of his, which was to call the owner of the place. The manager was surprised to hear this odd request.
John explained the reason behind his request that he was once a loyal customer of the restaurant and a friend of the owner. His business failed which is why he was forced to beg in the streets. If the manager can call the owner, then he would explain everything to him.
Didn’t Go as Planned
John originally decided that the experiment would have the manager call the real owner of the restaurant, which was John himself, hence ending the experiment. However, things didn’t go as expected because what the manager said next shocked John to his core.
The manager told him that the owner is none other but himself and said that he wouldn’t even consider giving a man like him a glass of water. After that, the manager threatened John by saying he’d call the cops if John doesn’t leave.
A Bad Start
John was too shocked to even process this. All he could think about was how ignorant he was of his employees’ true nature. These are the same employees he counted on to run his restaurant. With such a harsh comeback, John decided not to reveal who he truly is in front of everyone.
He thought that the manager would be dealt with later, as the experiment still had to continue. However, John’s willingness to go on with this test dropped down to the bottom. This bad start had left such a negative impact on him, that he was starting to wonder if an employee worthy to continue his legacy even exists.
The Ignored Message
On one side, John was looking forward to seeing how this social experiment of his turned out. After all, this was probably one of the craziest things he had done in his life. This was an opportunity for him to put himself in the shoes of his customer and see how he gets treated.
The stares were something he already had somewhat anticipated, but the behavior of the manager was downright unacceptable. John mentioned to his staff that they should consider everyone that steps into that restaurant to be equal, but this message was unfortunately ignored.
A Failed Experiment?
Now that the experiment had such a rough beginning, John looked into the eyes of his death which was approaching him fast. He thought about what should be done now. Will he leave behind this wretchedness unchecked? Was there nobody to uphold his legacy?
Despite being given a red flag in the beginning, John was pushed by his instincts to continue with the social experiment. So, he gave it a second chance. However, this time things would be a little different.
Recap
John went to one of his small restaurants now and tried to enter from the back door. As he got close to it, he was pushed away by the restaurant’s security guard. This was now looking like a recap of his previous experience in the experiment.
However, John was unaware that he was being watched this time. Julie, who was around the sidewalk, noticed John being pushed away as she was eating food. She waved her hand at John and grabbed his attention.
Unexpected Kindness
John wasn’t expecting kindness at this point, which is why Julie’s gesture surprised him. The stranger called John and generously invited him to have some of her lunch. John was astonished at Julie’s compassionate nature.
The entire day he was treated like trash by other people. During his time as a homeless man, this was the first positive gesture he had received. Julie even asked him about how life is going. It appeared she was willing to have a proper conversation with John.
Lunch Time
John sat down with Julie and the two shared lunch together. Julie told him that she had been employed as a dishwasher in the restaurant for half a year and often helped in the kitchen as well.
She stated her true passion for being the owner of her own restaurant. Unfortunately, this dream was far from being fulfilled because her business partner left her pennyless. Now, Julie was at a low point in her life with no hopes of starting a business anytime soon.
Found the One
John quietly listened to Julie’s story and he felt as if he couldn’t be anywhere else right now. His meeting with Julie was like the perfect ending to the puzzle. The social experiment was looking at its end. John realized that nobody could be a better fit at continuing his legacy than this individual he met.
He knew he had found the one and Julie was the perfect successor. John decided to reveal the truth to Julie, and after he did, she couldn’t respond. All she did was stare at him as she processed what just happened.
The Big Reveal
John started to take off his hat and old coat, revealing his true identity. He explained everything to Julie. The restaurant owner mentioned how he had just a couple of months to live because he had a severe infection inside him.
He further explained why he did what he did, from dressing up as a homeless man to getting shoved out of his own restaurant. The social experiment was now completed and Julie was chosen by John to take over the business.
The Handover
Julie, who had a tough time handling finances was having a hard time believing that a millionaire disguised as a homeless man was about to hand over his empire to her. The course of her career had shifted from one point to another, all because of a small kind gesture. Julie committed to the responsibility and assured John that she won’t disappoint.
John was waiting for so long to hear these words of reassurance, and now he was relieved that his restaurant chain is under the leadership of someone worthy. Unfortunately, John passed away a couple of weeks following this event.
Big Changes
Julie took over the restaurants and started changing things. This was the change that John would have wanted to see. She began by teaching the entirety of her employees how to behave with the poor. She went one step further and even launched a restaurant to serve the homeless.
The food provided at this restaurant was pretty much free of cost but gave the poor a sense of equality. John left this world long ago, but if he was around, he’d know that the world appreciates him for setting things straight in the last days of his life.
This Is the Story of Pedro Reid, Who Was Homeless For 20 Years
When you sit down and think about it, the butterfly effect has the potential to change your life. If you had left home two minutes earlier, you could have been involved in a deadly car accident. But instead, you went back inside to grab your water bottle and your life was spared.
When Randi Emmans-Bailyn left her home at a specific time, on a specific day, she came across homeless man Pedro Reid. At that moment, the stars aligned and a magical moment occurred, with an everlasting effect. This single encounter would find Pedro Reid's life changed forever.
Not All Superheros Wear Capes
Did you know that the 2019 count revealed that there are 36,300 homeless people living in Los Angeles? Pedro Reid was one of them. So, who exactly is Randi Emmans-Bailyn, and why is she a key character in Pedro Reid’s story of redemption?
The beautiful 33-year-old Los Angeles resident works at Netflix and lives with her actor boyfriend, 34-year-old John Suazo. Together, the formidable pair started Project Backpack, a charity that has been helping the homeless in Los Angeles since 2014.
The Lonely Life of Pedro Reid
With so many homeless people living in Los Angeles, Pedro Reid’s existence faded into a mass of desperate people. How many times have you stepped outside the comfort of your home and barely given the homeless in your area a second thought?
On this particular day, Randi Emmans-Bailyn stepped outside of her Los Angeles apartment with her dog at her side. She noticed a man nearby who was talking to himself. Among the mumblings, she overheard a few words. She shares, "What I was listening to was breaking my heart. He was saying things like 'Everyone just stares at me. I'm an educated man, but all they see is a person who doesn't have a home and doesn't have anyone to call.'"
The First Step in the Right Direction
Randi Emmans-Bailyn could’ve kept on walking, choosing to ignore Pedro Reid and his hopeless laments. But something about his story made her stop and talk to him. After greeting the homeless man, who introduced himself as Franklin, the young lady was asked a thought-provoking question.
He asked "Why do people just stand and look at me or laugh at me? I'm an extremely educated man. Say hello to me. Do not ignore me and give me these looks." The conversation struck a chord with Randi and she called her boyfriend, John Suazo, to find out how they could help. In the process, they learned more about Pedro Reid (aka Franklin’s) heartbreaking story.
Los Angeles: The City of Broken Dreams and False Hope
The bold Hollywood sign lures people from all walks of life with the promise glitz and glam. Pedro Reid admitted to the couple that he was fooled by the same shallow hope of a better future. After leaving his home in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1999, Pedro Reid moved to Los Angeles and lived with his aunt. But then his life took a turn for the worse.
Within a year, drug and alcohol addiction dug its claws into Pedro’s life and led to a life of homelessness. Two decades later, 54-year-old Pedro Reid had lost everything - including a home and all contact with his family. But how did it get so bad, so quickly?
Jail Became a Form of Home for Pedro
Sadly for Pedro Reid, the grass was not greener on the other side, and living in Los Angeles proved to be a struggle. He admits that he “started sleeping on the streets of the Skid Row area in downtown L.A” shortly after moving in with his aunt. The trouble snowballed and he found himself in and out of jail.
Pedro Reid shared, “It was always for petty crimes, usually shoplifting to support my habits, food and things of that nature. That cycle continued for years, and whenever I got released, I was right back on the streets.” It was here, on the streets, that he met Randi Emmans-Bailyn.
Losing Contact With His Family Was a Heartbreaking Moment
They say that we can choose our friends, but we can’t choose our family. In many ways, our family is an extension of ourselves and often serve as our support network during difficult times. When Pedro Reid left his hometown, he also left this comfort behind.
During his conversation with the Los Angeles couple, Pedro Reid shared that he had lost contact with his family 20 years ago. He had sent a couple of letters to his grandmother’s house while in prison, but otherwise, the communication had disappeared. With Pedro Reid pouring out his heart, the couple was propelled into action.
The Beginning of Discovery Efforts
As mentioned, Pedro Reid initially introduced himself as Franklin Mitchell. After losing his identification card and being caught by police in an altercation, the guilty man identified himself as the first name that came to his mind. At that moment, “Pedro Reid” disappeared off of the radar - along with the hopes of his family finding him.
Without identification, Pedro Reid couldn’t find a job and his family couldn’t locate him. He would read newspapers to pass the time and he became more articulate in his communication. The caring couple made him feel comfortable and agreed to help him find his family. And this process started with helping Pedro Reid get cleaned up.
The Search Was Given a Boost
The first thing that the couple did was give Pedro Reid one of their charity backpacks that they offer homeless people. Inside was food, water, a blanket, and other essentials. But that’s not all that they did. Randi reached out to her community on Facebook to raise money for a hotel. The community came together and Pedro earned a few nights in a hotel where he could indulge in a clean bath and warm meals.
Randi says, "I asked him what he needed most. He said he was just SO tired from never really sleeping because he's nervous to have his only belongings taken from him while he sleeps." Now that Pedro was looked after, the couple was able to begin the search for his family. All that they had was a few names and the power of the Internet.
Digging Into the Internet for Gold
The couple rolled up their sleeves and prepared to find Pedro Reid’s family. They were relentless in their search, scouring all corners of the Internet to find results. And then they finally hit the jackpot.
Randi shared the following words on Instagram, "He is so smart and kind and all he wanted was to be reunited with his family. John and I searched the internet and John was able to find a phone number for a family member." Adding to this, John said, "Randi and I started plugging away on the Internet, and we were able to find his grandmother’s name associated with the address. We called wrong numbers until, finally, we got someone who was his uncle’s ex-wife."
Breakthrough Moment With A Family Member
Eventually, after lots of hard work, Randi and John got through to someone who knew and loved their new friend - 59-year-old Pierre Grant, Pedro Reid’s uncle. His ex-wife had contacted him immediately after putting down the receiver and he got directly in touch with the couple.
He shares, “John started telling me about what took place between them and Pedro, and I knew immediately he was talking about my nephew. For over 20 years, we had been praying and believing that one day we would find him, and the day finally came. This is a miracle.” Now that they had made contact, it was time to start the reunion preparations.
Pedro Reid Was Blown Away By The News
It took the couple 72 hours to raise enough money from their Facebook community to give Pedro Reid an unforgettable one-week stay in a hotel. A total of $6500 was donated by caring individuals, sponsoring the homeless man’s accommodation, cell phone, and some new clothes.
Pedro shares, “From 2000 until just a few days ago, I never once stayed in a home or a hotel. In fact, he hadn’t even slept in shelters because he believed them to be worse than the streets. It was in this place of comfort that he was given the great news.
The Reunion Preparations Had Officially Begun
For one moment, try to put yourself into Pedro Reid’s shoes. He hadn’t seen his family for 20 years and had spent the last two decades living on the streets, isolated and alone. But this loneliness came to an end after meeting Randi and John, and his life was about to change forever.
Randi shares, "He and his family hadn't spoken in over 20 years. As soon as we told them we had found him, We raised money and got him into a hotel, got him fresh clothes and shoes, food and other essentials." Being given the opportunity to relax and freshen up, Pedro was ready to be reunited with his family.
There Were a Few Unexpected Obstacles in the Way
No happy ending occurs without a little bit of a struggle and a few obstacles to overcome. As if Pedro’s past 20 years on the streets had not been enough of a hurdle to clear, life had a few more tricks up its sleeve.
When Randi met Pedro, it was the height of the Coronavirus pandemic. This means that travel was incredibly difficult and movement was heavily restricted. Pedro had finally made contact with his long-lost family and they had to solve the riddle of getting them together.
Nothing - Not Even a Pandemic - Could Keep Them Apart
The pandemic may have presented a problem, but determination proved to be a solution. After hearing about Pedro from Randi and John, uncle Pierre Grant booked a flight from Charleston to Los Angeles.
He was not going to spend any more time being separated from his nephew. In another twist of fate, the money raised from Facebook was able to cover the travel costs and the price of a COVID-19 test for Pedro Reid (which came out negative). The reunion was around the corner, and everyone was tested as COVID-free in preparation
The Visit From the Uncle Was the Tip of the Iceberg
The reunion between Pedro Reid and his uncle was heartwarming and emotional. The pair hadn’t seen each other in two decades, yet they had never left one another’s thoughts. After many years of being lonely in Los Angeles, he had a loving family member make the effort to see him - and bring him home.
But it wasn’t just his uncle that he got to hold in his arms again. During the highly anticipated reunion, Pedro Reid came face-to-face with another special person - his 52-year-old cousin Mia Green.
An Incredible Reunion Made All-The-More Sweeter
While Pierre Grant boarded a plane from Charleston, Mia Green jumped on a plane in Atlanta. When her COVID-19 test results came back negative, she wasted no time in booking her plane ticket. The cousins had grown up together and were thick as thieves until Pedro moved to Los Angeles.
She shares, “When I heard the news, I decided I was definitely going. Randi and John are godsent people. I don’t even have words for the heart they have to stop and speak to him and then find us.” The encounter that followed was unreal.
Everyone Joined in for a Night to Remember
When August 7th finally arrived, tears were shed and stories were shared. The anticipated moment of reunion was as special as they could have imagined, but it wasn’t over just yet. The family had a lot of catching up to do.
The group booked a table together and shared an unforgettable meal in Hollywood. Randi Emmans-Bailyn, John Suazo, Mia Green, Pierre Grant, and Pedro Reid spent the night chatting, dining, and laughing as they discussed the incredible details of the miracle that had happened.
Pedro’s Story Shared a Lesson for All
Once a homeless man, Pedro had a serendipitous encounter with two strangers who were willing to listen to him and help him as best as they. Through the process, a very special lesson was learned, and Randi shares, "Please when you see someone on the street, don't look away if they say hello. It's what he said made the difference to him every day."
Although the day (and night) of reunion only lasted a few hours, the memory would live on forever. As sweet and surreal as the moment was, it was time for everyone to get back to their lives. And where would this leave Pedro?
A New Chapter and a New Chance at Life
Randi and John’s hard work paid off and Pedro’s life took a turn for the better. After the reunion, Pedro left his life on the streets and started a new life with his family. It had been so long since he had experienced the love and support of those who love him, but those lonely days were gone.
Pedro Reid boarded a plane and returned to Charleston with his uncle. He couldn’t contain his excitement at the opportunity to start the new chapter of his life.
Pedro’s Mother Adds More Context to His Life
What about the rest of Pedro’s family? The prodigal son was one of three children born to Deborah Reid, now 69-years-old. As a young mother, Deborah struggled to keep up with her children but admits that Pedro “was a perfect son and an A student in school”. Until he started “hanging out with the wrong people and getting into trouble.”
Currently living in Converse, Texas, Deborah says that she looks forward to reuniting with her son in Charleston as soon as it’s safe to travel for a big family celebration. Until then, she’s been keeping in close contact telephonically.
Everyone’s Heart Was Touched in a Unique Way
All of those involved in Pedro Reid’s story were touched and impacted in a very special way. Randi and John were awakened to how easy it is to positively impact a person’s life. Randi shares, “The people that acknowledged him kept him going and made him feel like someday he wouldn't be so lonely. He touched our hearts forever and we're going to miss him. We cannot wait to see what this chapter holds for him".
Pedro himself was deeply moved by the effort and kindness of Randi and John. He shares, “Their names will forever be etched on my heart. I’m indescribably thankful that they cared enough to get me home.” Let this be a lesson to all of us to always be kind as it really has the power to change a life.