YouTube star MrBeast helped some LSC clients move back into their own home in March.
LSC’s NC/SC Disaster Liaison Ilham Thurston was shopping with her 13-year-old daughter Amira Hijazi and 12-year-old son Hany Hijazi when they recognized an executive producer for MrBeast. The YouTuber has 31.7 million subscribers and completes different challenges in each video like “Anything You Can Carry, I’ll Pay For” and “Paying People $10,000 To Eat Ghost Pepper.”
“I thought my children had seen a movie star. They were so excited,” Thurston said. “They suggested I walk over there and meet him and ask that MrBeast help our survivors. So I did.”
Thurston told the producer about LSC’s disaster team and asked if MrBeast could donate new furniture to disaster survivors so they could finally get back into secure and sanitary housing.
The producer loved the idea and asked Thurston to select survivors and a location.
“I had previously set up a special arrangement with Mack’s Furniture and Warehouse in Greenville, North Carolina,” she said. “Mack was already giving us discounted pricing and free delivery so that we could stretch our donated dollars and help even more survivors. “Our team is always trying to be creative and collaborate with partners that can supply needed items for our neighbors in need without LSC using the donated funds.”
For the big day, Thurston picked survivors John and Celeste. The couple has been married for over 60 years and was forced out of their home after it was flooded during a hurricane. Faith-based and volunteer groups repaired their home, but they were living in a FEMA camper and would be required to start paying $1,200 a month in rent if they weren’t out by March 13.
MrBeast met the couple at Mack’s Furniture, made a giant circle with tape and told the couple that anything they could fit inside of it, he would pay for. Then they started shopping.
“That night of furniture shopping with them was pure joy and blessings. Mr. John and Mrs. Celeste were full of life and acted like they were 5-year-olds at Christmas,” Thurston said. “Seeing the pride and love in my children’s faces while MrBeast and his team lifted Mrs. Celeste in the air on her new couch while Mr. John was dancing, even with his bad knees, is an image I will cherish forever. There was a lot of good happening at that moment.”
Once the shopping was over, MrBeast purchased $30,000 in furniture for the couple. Because of this, they were able to move back into their own, newly-furnished home before the FEMA deadline.
If you want to watch the YouTube video, click here.