A Polk County man, down on his luck, reached into his own pocket to help a little girl in need.
Bryan Mowell sells water at a busy intersection in Lakeland in front of the Best Buy on Highway 98. He said he hasn’t had the best of luck lately. He’s homeless and injured from a work accident.
“I can’t physically work but I was trying to find something I could do so I don’t feel like I was begging or panhandling,” Mowell said.
But he said when he saw the family and friends fundraising for 12-year-old Heather Tyer, who was badly burned in a fire, he knew he had to do something.
“I just said you know what, I’m gonna stay for a few hours and then I’m gonna give money to her and that made me feel good. I didn’t want nobody to know about it,” he said.
Katy Mills said she was shocked when Mowell walked over and gave them the money he raised.
“My husband and I were out in the median with our jug collecting money and he walked up to us and handed us all the money out of his pockets.” Mills said. “He said ‘this is all I’ve made today but I want to give it to you. God bless.”
Mowell said he didn’t think twice about giving the money.
“I was in really bad shape that morning. But it made me feel good,” he said. “I went and slept better that night and I prayed about her and still not knowing what was coming about. But things happen for a reason. And I know when you do good, good things come to you.”
It’s a good deed that people close to Tyer’s family said means more than anyone could imagine.
Mowell originally declined to tell his story publicly. He said he did it for Heather and didn’t want any recognition. But after talking he agreed this was a story that could possibly inspire others to give back.