Former NFL star Antonio Brown is stepping up to help a man whose story seems like something straight out of a movie.
On March 22 in Augusta, Georgia, 24-year-old Chris Louis was arrested after leaving his three young children unattended at a McDonald’s while he attended a job interview.
The incident has drawn attention, especially after Brown decided to take action.
The Incident at McDonald’s
Louis had walked with his children, ages ten, six, and one, to the restaurant from their apartment.
Not wanting to have them walk back alone while he was at the interview, Louis made the decision to leave them at the McDonald’s.
However, a concerned customer noticed the unattended children and called the authorities.
By the time Louis returned from his interview, just after 6:15 PM, the authorities had arrived, and he was taken into custody.
The Arrest and Louis’ Explanation
Louis explained that he didn’t have a car and didn’t want his kids walking back alone, which led him to leave them at the restaurant for a short period.
After his arrest, his children were returned to their mother.
The situation is being closely followed by many, including former NFL star Antonio Brown, who was moved by Louis’ plight.
Antonio Brown’s Support and GoFundMe Campaign
The story of Chris Louis clearly struck a chord with Antonio Brown.
He decided to take action by setting up a GoFundMe page to help Louis, titled “Pursuit of Happiness – Chris Louis,” inspired by the 2006 film The Pursuit of Happyness.
In the movie, Will Smith portrays Chris Gardner, a homeless man who struggles to find work and provide for his family before eventually succeeding.
Brown wrote in the description of the fundraiser, “A dad just trying to find a way to make money for his family… I know he shouldn’t just leave his kids, but some people don’t have the means for babysitting, etc.”
He further explained that the GoFundMe was created to support Louis and his family in their time of need.
The Fundraiser’s Progress and Brown’s Involvement
At the time of the publication, the fundraiser had raised just under $25,000 of its $50,000 goal.
Antonio Brown himself made the largest donation of $1,084.
The second-largest donation came from ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, who contributed $1,000.
Brown has said that he has spoken to the company handling the fundraiser to ensure the funds are transferred to Louis, though he hasn’t yet had a chance to speak with Louis personally.