Every Saturday for years, a driver delivered pizzas to a tiny, rusted-out trailer, never once seeing inside. One day, her curiosity got the better of her, and she took a peek inside to find a shocking scene.
Having worked as a Domino’s delivery driver for years, Angela Nguyen knows her way around Ham Lake, Minnesota. After delivering thousands of pizzas, she always remembers her restaurant’s loyal patrons and their typical orders. One such customer always paid for a pizza to be left on the doorstep of a broken-down trailer every Saturday without fail.
When the mystery customer’s routine order suddenly stopped, she couldn’t shake a gut feeling that something wasn’t right. So, Angela took a short detour after her shift to find out who the customer was and why they were no longer making their usual order.
Angela parked her car, walked up to the rusty fifth-wheel trailer, and knocked on the door. To her surprise, the door slowly opened, and she finally saw who she had been serving all those years. A haggard, elderly man confusedly poked his head out, likely due to not having a visitor in ages.
After she explained her reason for stopping by, the man introduced himself as 76-year-old Lee Haase. Then, Angela took a peek inside the lodging. All of Lee’s few belongings were packed in the small space. Additionally, he had no heat, no electricity, and no plumbing. Sensing her wonder, Lee explained his heart-breaking situation.
Through no fault of his own, Lee had suffered a series of catastrophic events that led to him living in the ramshackle abode. His previous home had been condemned after a powerful storm destroyed his roof. Soon after, his son tragically died in a snowmobile accident. With no one to help him, he had been struggling to survive in the only thing left to his name — a dilapidated 12-foot trailer.
Moved to tears, Angela was determined not to let Lee go another day living in such squalor. Out of her own pocket, she immediately purchased a heater for the camper. Then, at the advice of her daughter, she started a Go Fund Me page to help Lee move into a real home.
“I thought we got to do something. We got to do something. We can’t let a human being live like this,” said Angela.
Within days, donations from around the world poured in. A local construction company offered to build Lee a brand-new trailer home. After just two months, the fundraiser accumulated more than $200,000, allowing Angela to set up an account for furniture, food, and bills.
“We got donations from as far as Australia,” said Angela. “Every single one of us enjoyed doing this. This ain’t all for Lee. We all benefited.”
Lee couldn’t believe the amazing outpouring of support and kindness, not only from his local community but strangers across the globe.
“It’s wonderful,” said Lee. “I’m so grateful for the people doing this.”
Angela Nguyen could rest easy knowing that Lee Haase was safe and warm in his new home. The community rallied together, acting as a family to the man who had lost everything.
Angela and Lee remained friends even after he received everything he needed. Lee explained that he felt “pretty awesome,” and was extremely grateful to the people who helped him overcome his tragic circumstances.