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Jul 23, 2004

"Everything we do is either an act of love or a cry for help." --Marianne Williamson

Rags to Riches to Kindness

He's been a burglar, a crack smoker, a state prisoner, an alcoholic and, for the past three years, a panhandler in San Francisco. But now he's also an art benefactor. Don's long-estranged mother recently died, unexpectedly leaving him $187,000! The first thing Don did when he got the money was cut a $10,000 check to the art gallery he has sat in front of for two years, panhandling and begging for free food. Don walked straight to Paul Mahder, the art gallery owner, and handed him the check as a thank-you. Mahder burst into tears when he saw the amount and 56-year old Don soon followed suit.