A homeless man risked his life to save those who are in a similar predicament as him. Only they aren’t people.
On December 18, a fire engulfed the kitchen at W-Underdogs shelter in Atlanta, Georgia. So Keith Walker, 53, immediately rushed inside.
“I was nervous as hell, I’m not going to lie,” Walker told CNN. “I was really scared to go in there with all that smoke. But God put me there to save those animals.”
“If you love a dog, you can love anyone in the world. My dog is my best friend, and I wouldn’t be here without him, so I knew I had to save all those other dogs.”
53-year-old Keith Walker rushed into the W-Underdogs shelter on December 18 after a fire engulfed its kitchen.
Image credits: w-underdogs
He successfully rescued all the animals — 6 dogs and 10 cats
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Gracie Hamlin, the founder of W-Underdogs, said Keith is her guardian angel. “Even the firefighters didn’t want to handle the dogs. They called animal control, but Keith was already in the building pulling out the cats and dogs until they were all safe.”
Image credits: w-underdogs
Celebrity dog trainer Victoria Stilwell, founder of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training & Behavior and member of the advisory board of W-Underdogs, said Keith has been homeless since he was 13 years old. He is now 53.
“He faces the many challenges of homelessness but he loves his dog,” Stilwell told Bored Panda.
The staff at W-Underdogs have known Keith for quite some time now because they let him keep his dog, a pit bull named Bravo, at the shelter every night.
Actually, Walker was on his way to pick up Bravo and take him for a walk when he saw the fire.
“Bravo is a large, male pitbull with a load of energy and a friendly personality. He is very strong but very loving. He is much loved,” Stilwell said.
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
According to W-Underdogs founder Gracie Hamlin, while the shelter was not completely destroyed, the fire left it uninhabitable
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Luckily, W-Underdogs was only a week away from moving into its new facility, where the animals are now safely residing
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
W-Underdogs is more than just a shelter. The organization also empowers youth through service to animals and communities. “We address the challenges that at-risk youth face and provide them with skills and a sense of accomplishment to overcome these challenges,” Stilwell explained. “The relationship between the children and the animals they help rescue and rehome is very special.”
She said the fire was a shock but W-Underdogs are very grateful to Keith for saving the animals they love. The critters are now safe in their new center and doing well.
“They are getting a lot of attention which they love. Some have gone to foster homes and others are waiting for foster or their forever homes. Donations are flooding in to help Keith and those will be managed for him by an organization that works with the homeless. We will also continue to work with him and look after Bravo when needed.”
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
If you want to help W-Underdogs to get back on its feet, you can donate to the organization on its website
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
Image credits: w-underdogs
People have already named the man a hero
I live in Georgia, I've seen several stories about this. Last I heard they did set up a gofund me, but there's some sort of problems with the mans ID and bank account. They are asking all donations go to w-underdogs, they have been and will continue to help the man out.
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This is not a homeless man. This is a man who saved dogs, and on an unrelated note, happens to be homeless. Reducing someone to the rough patch he is in is not respectful AT ALL. Especially when the point is not even to help him in turn.
He might not see it as a rough patch. Some people (probably a pretty small number) are homeless by choice because they feel more free living that kind of life. A few of them have popped up in stories where their families have found them or people have tried to help them out only for them to willingly return to the streets. Maybe Keith is going through a rough patch and could use some help, but maybe he's living the life he wants to live. We'll need to ask him before we can judge the situation.
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If there’s a nice room in the new shelter for Mr Walker to live in, and maybe a job as the caretaker or something to boot, the owners of the shelter will know for certain they can sleep at night without worrying about the safety of the animals. Guardian Angels who do things like this without being asked deserve to be looked after themselves. Plus, it’s nice to know genuine altruism isn’t dead—-it’s what should be superspread instead of COVID.
Yes, if this man could have a job and a place to day every night--that would be lovely, lovely.
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Why do they need to attach the title of "homeless" to this? To sensationalize it? Simply refer to him as a man, and see him for what he is. He is not defined by his homelessness
...a very high percentage of journalism involves "sensationalism". English 101 promotes "grab the readers attention". Also, by highlighting his homeless status, people will be inclined to offer supportive services or goods to the good Samaritan. If they choose to leave out his homelessness and the fact was somehow discovered, many would convict the media of irresponsible journalism and misrepresentation of the marginalized population. It would make more sense for the journalist to err on the side of caution.
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Is that a pitty I see? They're the cutest, most loyal dogs I've ever seen.
This is what humanity should be, good nice and giving people!!! We need more people like him!
He should get a job at the shelter for that he obviously showed compassion for the animals
What kind of society allows a thirteen year old child to be homeless on the street, isn't the USA the richest country in the world?
So happy that this man is being rewarded as well. https://www.gofundme.com/f/keith-walker-atlanta-animal-shelter-hero?teamInvite=iLalav83FZN9aBllRRf7tj2jKok1QB9gjQpuKG2IYSZmtln1d3KtOehBRfnTclZ
Homeless Man Rushes Into A Burning Animal Shelter – Saves Every Animal. Arrested on trespassing and theft charges.
Awfully true that you use a fishing net to fish turds out of the toilet to snack on, exactly when it left your a**s
Load More Replies...
I live in Georgia, I've seen several stories about this. Last I heard they did set up a gofund me, but there's some sort of problems with the mans ID and bank account. They are asking all donations go to w-underdogs, they have been and will continue to help the man out.
Load More Replies... This is not a homeless man. This is a man who saved dogs, and on an unrelated note, happens to be homeless. Reducing someone to the rough patch he is in is not respectful AT ALL. Especially when the point is not even to help him in turn.
He might not see it as a rough patch. Some people (probably a pretty small number) are homeless by choice because they feel more free living that kind of life. A few of them have popped up in stories where their families have found them or people have tried to help them out only for them to willingly return to the streets. Maybe Keith is going through a rough patch and could use some help, but maybe he's living the life he wants to live. We'll need to ask him before we can judge the situation.
Load More Replies... If there’s a nice room in the new shelter for Mr Walker to live in, and maybe a job as the caretaker or something to boot, the owners of the shelter will know for certain they can sleep at night without worrying about the safety of the animals. Guardian Angels who do things like this without being asked deserve to be looked after themselves. Plus, it’s nice to know genuine altruism isn’t dead—-it’s what should be superspread instead of COVID.
Yes, if this man could have a job and a place to day every night--that would be lovely, lovely.
Load More Replies... Why do they need to attach the title of "homeless" to this? To sensationalize it? Simply refer to him as a man, and see him for what he is. He is not defined by his homelessness
...a very high percentage of journalism involves "sensationalism". English 101 promotes "grab the readers attention". Also, by highlighting his homeless status, people will be inclined to offer supportive services or goods to the good Samaritan. If they choose to leave out his homelessness and the fact was somehow discovered, many would convict the media of irresponsible journalism and misrepresentation of the marginalized population. It would make more sense for the journalist to err on the side of caution.
Load More Replies... Is that a pitty I see? They're the cutest, most loyal dogs I've ever seen.
This is what humanity should be, good nice and giving people!!! We need more people like him!
He should get a job at the shelter for that he obviously showed compassion for the animals
What kind of society allows a thirteen year old child to be homeless on the street, isn't the USA the richest country in the world?
So happy that this man is being rewarded as well. https://www.gofundme.com/f/keith-walker-atlanta-animal-shelter-hero?teamInvite=iLalav83FZN9aBllRRf7tj2jKok1QB9gjQpuKG2IYSZmtln1d3KtOehBRfnTclZ
Homeless Man Rushes Into A Burning Animal Shelter – Saves Every Animal. Arrested on trespassing and theft charges.
Awfully true that you use a fishing net to fish turds out of the toilet to snack on, exactly when it left your a**s
Load More Replies...
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