Seminole County man thanks stranger for help going from homeless to road to success

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A Seminole County man says the kindness of a stranger helped set him on a path to prosperity, but the road has not been without speed bumps.

Channel 9 first told you about Angel Serrano and his family in August 2020. They were homeless and had been living out of their car for two years.

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His story captured the heart of a Channel 9 viewer, who was a complete stranger, who found him a place to live and paid for a whole year of rent.

“As soon as the lady helped us get in here, what I did was I had a plan of action that I had to follow,” Serrano said.

READ: ‘She is an angel sent from above’: Woman offers to pay years’ worth of rent for homeless Seminole County family

He said that plan was to have a job by March of 2021 to take care of the rent, the bills and everyday stuff in order to survive. And that’s what he did. He works as a retention specialist for a local cable provider.

“I thank the Lord, I got a great job that is helping me pay for this place,” Serrano said. “Hopefully, in the near future we’re getting ready to buy a home.”

It’s a big change from when he and his family lived in their car. He said his faith helped to get him through those tough years living on the streets.

WATCH: Seminole County family forced to live out of car after getting evicted two years ago

“Even now that I’m here, I pray every single day giving thanks, asking the Lord to guide me, you know, that’s very important,” Serrano said. “And that’s what kept us through. And now the best part is that when you have faith, you could do anything. Anything.”

His son graduated from Full Sail and his wife is studying online.

But his comeback story recently had a bit of a setback.

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The car he and his family once called home was totaled in an accident in Lake Mary that left his neck and his back bruised.

“But the thing that bothers me the most is that, you know, I felt so, so tight with the car, I don’t know how to explain it,” Serrano said. “But you know, when people drive the car, and you become one. And it was an old car and I’m a sentimental guy. So I really was connected with the vehicle.”

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Serrano said he is now looking to replace the car he lost and pick back up where he left off on the road to success.

He said he plans to volunteer at the Sharing Center in Longwood, which helped his family from the beginning. He encourages others to donate and volunteer there as well.

Video: ‘She is an angel sent from above’: Woman offers to pay years’ worth of rent for homeless Seminole County family

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