Skid Row 'Saint' Surprised By Show Of Gratitude For His Work With Homeless

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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A Los Angeles man many consider an "angel" and a "saint" by those who know him was shown just a bit of the love he gives to the homeless of Skid Row every day.

Admirers of Wendell Blassingame on Friday tricked him into going to what he thought was a lunch for his friend Betsy Starman. When he showed up to the apartment building in Downtown L.A., however, he was surprised to find out the celebration was all for him.

Through property management company Goldrich Kest's 60 Acts of Kindness campaign, Blassingame's friends procured a new laptop for the man who for 14 years has set up a table every day at San Julian Park on Skid Row. He provides information on resources available to the homeless population and shows kindness to anyone who asks. His laptop was stolen a few months ago.

Blassingame was homeless, himself, from 2000 to 2002.

"When I was out there, no one ever assisted me or really wanted to listen to me or to what I needed," he told CBS2 News. "I'm speechless."

And the new computer could not have come soon enough. He says he's itching to get back to work.

"Plug it up, get it charged up, and let's get started," he said, anxious to continue helping his patrons.

Starman told CBS2, "He's an angel like no other."