Everyone Lashes Out at Young Woman for Marrying a Homeless Man until She Becomes a Millionaire — Story of the Day

Since childhood, Rebecca has experienced a sharp, deep pity for the homeless and the poor. Even as a student, the girl tried to help those less fortunate in life. She did not know that her kindness would lead her to an incredible life.

Rebecca and her friends were spending the last afternoon of the semester together. After a long and demanding semester, they deserved time off to wander the town’s streets and forget about school. The first year of university had ended on a good note, and celebrations were underway.

While walking through the town’s square, Rebecca spotted a young painter nearby. He was tall, with brown hair and dark eyes. He wore a weathered flannel shirt with faded jeans, and his sneakers were covered in charcoal from his canvas.

Rebecca's friend, Nickey, startled her from staring at the painter. “Hey, what are you staring at?” Nickey asked.

“That guy over there, do you know him?” Rebecca asked while pointing at the painter.

“No, why does it matter?” Nickey asked, confused.

Rebecca suggested they all go to get their portraits painted. Her friends were not keen to wait, so they refused. Disappointed, Rebecca quietly promised herself she would come back soon.

The following day, Rebecca spent the afternoon hoping to catch the painter. As soon as she saw him, she hurried towards him and asked for a painting. He happily agreed and asked her to sit.

Within 20 minutes, the portrait was ready. “Let me know what you think,” he said. Rebecca was startled by the attention to detail. He captured the tiniest details on her face, including the small scar on her chin she got from roughhousing with her siblings.

Rebecca introduced herself to the painter. “My name is Billy,” he said.

“I'm so impressed; surely you should be doing way more than street portraits. What’s your story?” Rebecca asked.

“How about you come back next week for another portrait, and I’ll tell you my life story,” he suggested. Rebecca didn’t believe him, but she agreed to return.

When she returned the following week, she noticed that Billy always wore the same outfit. “Is your outfit an artistic choice?” she jokingly asked, even though she had a feeling that the answer would be different.

“I wish it were an artistic choice,” Billy said. He went on to tell Rebecca about how happy his childhood was. “My parents were both artists, so it was easy for me to pick up the skill,” he said. “They gave me good artistic skills, but they didn’t leave me much when they died three years ago, so I paint to earn money and keep myself alive.”

Rebecca was heartbroken at his story. She had no idea that his life was so difficult. “But you seem so happy while painting,” Rebecca said.

“Art makes me happy. I wish I could get more money from it, but I hope someone will notice me one day; you never know!” Billy said.

After Rebecca said goodbye to her new friend, her mind was racing with ideas. She didn’t know how to help him, but she knew she couldn’t just leave him there. She gave Billy her number and promised to stay in touch. They didn't see each other for some weeks but kept communicating.

One day, Rebecca invited Billy to dinner at her apartment. Her parents rented it for her while she studied. He refused at first but agreed when Rebecca insisted. He was secretly grateful for the offer as the weather was getting colder, and orders for paintings were dwindling.

Glancing at the paintings on her wall, he said, “I see you like art as much as I do.”

“My parents also introduced me to art, but they just passed down the appreciation for it, not the talent,” Rebecca chuckled. She offered Billy a shower and food. While they were eating, she offered him a place to stay for a short time.

“I appreciate your kindness, but I can take care of myself. There are shelters nearby that will take me in if I show up early enough,” Billy said.

“I understand that, but I don’t feel comfortable letting you stay in the streets when I have all this extra space,” Rebecca responded.

After an awkward conversation, Billy reluctantly agreed to stay over only for a few days until he could find a temporary job while painting orders remained low over the winter. Rebecca asked him to stay longer every few days, and he ended up staying with her for a month.

While Billy was trying to find a temporary job, Rebecca took pictures of his work and sent them to her parents. She asked them if they could send them to some of their designer friends to see if they had possible openings for Billy.

Rebecca had spent a lot of her life helping people. She volunteered with different charities and even housed a homeless woman for two months while she helped her find a job and a place to live. So her parents were not surprised when she called her parents to see if they could help.

One evening, while Rebecca and Billy were finishing off their dinner, Rebecca slowly put down her fork and said, "I have something to tell you, please don't be mad at me, but I think you will find this to be good news."

Billy gave her a quizzical look and said, "Alright, go ahead."

"So for the past month that you've been living with me, I have been sending photos of your work to some designers who are friends with my parents, and two of them would like to interview you for some permanent roles in their studios" Rebecca said.

Billy was shocked. He had no idea that Rebecca had been doing this behind his back. He didn't know whether to be angry or to be grateful, so he just kept quiet.

Rebecca continued, "I know this is shocking, but I believe that your skills are too good to be used only for street painting, and clearly, these designers agree with me because they would like to speak to you on Monday."

The following Monday, Billy was standing in front of Lexus design studio, terrified at missing up on this opportunity that Rebecca had gotten for him but also hopeful that his life was about to change. When he was offered the junior designer position on the spot, he raced back to tell Rebecca about this fantastic news.

Rebecca was excited for Billy when he told him about the job offer. "I have one more secret to share, though," she said. "I'm in love with you, and I don't want you to move out."

Billy also confessed his feelings to her and officially moved in with her. A year into their relationship, Billy proposed, and Rebecca agreed.

When Rebecca’s friends heard of the engagement, they begged her not to marry him. “You’re letting your love of helping people cloud your judgment,” Nickey said. Her parents were furious when they heard the news. They lashed out at her, hoping she would see reason and change her mind.

"Do you not realize that you're throwing your life away?" Rebecca's mom asked.

"How can I be throwing my life away when I'm marrying a loving person?" Rebecca asked.

"We are your parents; we know what you deserve, and you don't deserve someone like this!" Her father shouted.

But Rebecca ignored all their pleas and asked Billy to elope. "Are you sure about this? Your parents will be sad not to attend," he said.

"They are free to attend only if they support our marriage," Rebecca replied. But her parents were adamant about not coming.

Six months into their marriage, Rebecca continued her studies, and Billy worked hard at the design studio. His work quickly gained recognition, and more customers began asking him to design art pieces independently. Billy asked his boss if he was okay with taking on extra work. “As long as it doesn’t interfere with your daily duties here, I don’t see why not,” his boss responded.

Two years after Billy began taking design orders independently, Rebecca asked if he wanted to branch out on his own ultimately. “You have proven that you have the talent; why not do your own thing?” she asked.

"Then how about we move to America? I can take care of both of us, and you can finish your studies there," he suggested.

A few months after Billy's suggestion to move to the US, he and Rebbeca settled into the country and expected their first child. Billy's work steadily gained popularity. Only two years after moving to the US, he got a call from a rich business owner who offered him a million dollars for one of his art pieces. The pair continued to raise their son in the US.

So what can we learn from this story?

• Thanks to people who care and believe in us, we can achieve anything. Billy's life changed forever when Rebecca believed in him enough to send his work out to designers who recognized his talent.
• Following our hearts can often lead to life-changing events. Although Billy wasn't sure about speaking and becoming friends with Rebecca, his decision to follow his heart led to a great relationship.

Please share this story with your friends. It might inspire people to share their own stories or help someone else.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a young homeless woman who married a man not knowing he was a millionaire.

This account is inspired by our reader's story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.