CHANDLER, Ariz. — "I'm sorry I haven't eaten anything today," Jimmy Darts says to Lani Benavidez as she walks down the aisle of a Chandler Walmart.
It's a quick stop that Darts is known for. The social media influencer shares videos of him approaching random people and seeing if they'll help him, only to return the help they offer tenfold.
Benavidez is quick to help give a couple of bucks to supposedly pay for Darts' box of cereal.
Instead, Darts hands the box of cereal back to her full of $1,000.
"It's not that she was just kind in that one moment. She's been living a lifestyle of kindness and never has been recognized for it until that one moment. And when you hear her story, it just breaks your heart," Darts said.
Benavidez goes on to explain in the video posted a couple of months back that her husband is in the hospital with lung cancer and is unable to help provide for their family right now. Leaving the family relying on Benavidez's job to pay their bills.
When Darts asks if she's afraid they'll be evicted, she starts crying.
"Almost everyone I meet, they do have a wild story, because everyone's got something they're dealing with, whether it's in their life or their kid's life, or something's going on. So we're all going through something. So if you can just yeah, be kind to people," Darts said.
Darts opened up a GoFundMe for Benavidez, asking his millions of followers across several social media platforms to help give to her and her family. As of early December, a total of more than $98,000 was raised for Benavidez and her family.
"It just means a lot," Benavidez told 12News on the phone. "I'm very thankful, grateful."
"Her family is in a new apartment now, and like I said, you know, they're going to be able to use that for college, for their kid, and just how that one act of kindness can really just change the trajectory of her family's life. So Lani is an inspiration," Darts said.
