A thank-you he never expected

Remember your March 12 crumb of comfort, titled "A father's duty, even if he's homeless." It told about Nicole Sedgebeer, 22, of Milton Keynes, England, who went to London for a night on the town. When she was ready to return home, the last train had left and the station was locked. She found a homeless man in a sleeping bag nearby. His name was Mark Collins, and he climbed out of his bag and took her to a nearby cafe for coffee. Like a father, he made sure that she was safe all night and that she boarded the first morning train. He even called her the next day to be sure got home okay. You may recall Nicole was so grateful that she took his first "selfie," shown here.

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The pair has gotten together since the incident. "We had breakfast and he told me about his life," she said. "He used to work in the army and has been homeless 12 years." Wishing to return the kindness he showed her, she launched a crowdfunded campaign online to get Mark back on his feet and help him find a job. It has already generated over $16,000, and she is consulting different charities on how best to use the money to help Mark. Why? "He went out of his way to help me, a complete stranger, when...people just walk him every day without offering him help." And how did Mark feel about the results of the fundraiser? "I couldn't believe it," he said. It was a thank-you he never expected.