{"id":276579,"date":"2026-05-19T13:32:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T13:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/276579\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T13:32:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T13:32:08","slug":"meeting-between-miami-fashion-designer-man-experiencing-homelessness-changes-their-lives-after-moment-goes-viral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/276579\/","title":{"rendered":"Meeting between Miami fashion designer, man experiencing homelessness changes their lives after moment goes viral"},"content":{"rendered":"

It started with a hoodie, a pair of jeans and a question on a South Florida<\/a> street that would change two lives forever.<\/p>\n

A local fashion designer says he stopped a man he met on the sidewalk and asked a simple question: would he model for his clothing brand<\/a>. That moment, which was captured on camera, quickly exploded online and racked up millions of views.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, the viral fame was only the beginning. Now, the man at the center of the story, Anthony Cruse, has received a life-changing surprise \u2013 $8,282 raised by more than 500 strangers online, all sparked by that original photo shoot.<\/p>\n

Alex Carabes<\/a> said he saw something in Cruse that others may have overlooked.<\/p>\n

“I really believe in him,” Carabes said. “Don’t ever judge someone because of what they look like or because of their situation. You never know what someone’s going through.”<\/p>\n

Cruse, who said he has been living on the streets<\/a> and working to regain custody of his children, admitted he was hesitant when first approached for the shoot.<\/p>\n

“I don’t know if I should do it because I don’t think I’m worthy enough,” he said.<\/p>\n

Still, he went forward with the photos and the images quickly took off across social media, generating what Carabes says amounted to tens of millions of interactions across platforms.<\/p>\n

That attention ultimately led Carabes to launch an online fundraising campaign, where hundreds of people contributed.<\/p>\n

For Cruse, the money represents more than viral attention \u2013 it represents a reset.<\/p>\n

“It’ll help me get a place, get off the streets,” he said. “And get my kids straight.”<\/p>\n

Cruse hopes of pursuing modeling moving forward.<\/p>\n

Carabes, who launched his brand just eight months ago, says the experience has reshaped his outlook and inspired him to use his platform to help others on a larger scale.<\/p>\n

In:<\/p>\n