YouTube Prankster Inadvertently Reconnects Family With Missing Mother Living On LA Streets

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A viral YouTube video showing a random act of kindness has reconnected a homeless woman living on the streets of Los Angeles with her family in Florida.

The connection was made after Brooke Roberts -- who is well-known for his YouTube channel called Prank Nation -- went out of his way on July 4 to offer free meals to the homeless living in downtown Los Angeles.

He filmed interactions while handing out food to disadvantaged people in a video titled "Feeding the Homeless," which has been viewed more than 500,000 times to date.

After the video circulated for about 10 days, Roberts received an email from a man named Edward stating a woman who appeared in the video is his 10-year-old son's mother, Jaime, who has suffered from addiction for the past 10 years and has been missing from their Florida home since November.

"I can't believe you found her," Edward wrote in the email. "You are a miracle, a Godsend. Thank you so much for making that video."

"My son has been in tears for over an hour," he continued. "He thought something terrible happened to her. We are all so happy to know she is alive."

After conversing by phone, Roberts felt more than inclined to help Edward and his son reconnect with their missing loved one.

So he went back to the area and searched for nine hours only to come up empty handed.

It was then that Edward decided to fly to Los Angeles.

The pair searched in good spirits for eight hours after speaking with a homeless man who said he recognized Jaime and believed that she lived in the area.

To much success, Edward was able to find Jaime on his own and took her to purchase new clothing, a backpack and a cell phone. She stayed in his hotel room that night.

Roberts worked with Edward to create a video detailing the entire encounter titled "I Found a Missing Mother". The video was posted to his YouTube channel Monday.

Jaime is unable to travel back to Florida to live with Edward and their son due to financial reasons, according to Roberts.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help reunite the family.