When police officers found 19-year-old Fred Barley’s tent pitched in the bushes on Gordon State College’s campus, they told him to come out with his hands up.
When Barley explained that he’d ridden his little brother’s bicycle 50 miles in six hours, left his hometown to register for classes, was living on cereal and water, and planned to camp out until his dorm opened in August, the cops lent him a hand.
They got him a motel room, but when word got around Barnesville, Georgia, the internet soon became aware of the teen’s situation.
People donated money, clothes, school supplies, running shoes, a new adult-sized bike, and he was offered a dish-washing position at a pizza place.
Here’s his video in which he thanks his supporters:
Case Blaney, a local, met Barley at his motel and started him a GoFundMe page, which has raised over $180,000. Fred promised to keep the money in his savings account. He told his supporters he plans to go to medical school and wants to keep them posted on his grades to show he isn’t letting their gifts go to waste.
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