Kari Diaz says once she saw the video of a 60-year-old man being robbed at a Walmart in Largo, she had to help.
Charles Reynolds, 60, was caught on surveillance video chasing after the man who stole $500 from him just after he cashed his check inside of the Walmart. Chad Alves-Cardoso, 26, has since been arrested, but Reynolds was still without his money.
That’s where Diaz, a stranger, comes in.
“I was a single mom, living in low income housing about seven years ago,” said Diaz. “I know what it is to be poor.”
She said she could see the desperation in Reynolds as he was seen chasing the man who stole his hard-earned money. Make no mistake though, she didn’t have $500 to just give away. She earned the money, all for Reynolds.
“I worked all weekend. I worked about 10 hours each day. I worked about two hours more each day. To have enough money to do stuff like this,” said Diaz.
We met them both in the Largo Police Department where the two met for the first time and where Diaz was able to give him the money.
“I’m pretty much homeless and I’m doing the best I can to get up and get out of there and yea, the money meant a lot,” said Reynolds. “Just to let someone like that just reach around and take it from me just pure wasn’t going to happen.”
Reynolds was hurt while chasing the thief through the parking lot, physically and emotionally. Now, he has started healing, thanks to a stranger.
“Well thank you! You know, I normally wouldn’t even think about taking it, but right now, I’m not really in the position to say no,” said Reynolds to Diaz.
