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Heartbreaking Image Of Homeless Man In Downtown LA Inspires Mission To Get Him Home To Milwaukee

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A photo of a homeless man in Downtown LA spoke a thousand words to a trio of strangers, who set out on a mission to help him.

The heartbreaking photo by John Hwang showed a man wearing a disposable mask under his chin, his head covered in a brown hoodie, and his face crumpled in pain and anguish.

dtla homeless man help
(credit: CBS)

In the image's description, Hwang identified the man as Sang Kang. Kang told the photographer his mother had passed away a few years ago and he had lost contact with his other family members. And since he's been homeless, he's been robbed of most of his possessions, including his wallet, ID and phone.

"I met this young man today in downtown," Hwang wrote. "Not sure how I can best help him, but if anyone can provide assistance in some way, please let me know."

So when Daniel Lee saw the image, he decided he needed to help the fellow Hmong man. With the help of two strangers he met through the Hmong community, Lee went to downtown LA and found him. They took him for a meal, then drove him more than 2,000 miles to Wisconsin.

"I read it and I was like, well, you know, like, he's my people, and let's see what we can do to help out," Lee said in a video. "

Lee went out to speak a saying in Hmong, and translated it into English.

"When you come into my town, call me. You know, call me, let me know that you're here, and I'll take care of you," Lee said. "I guess that's the closest way of defining how I felt."

Kang is now getting the help he needs in Milwaukee.

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