This is the American Greek podcast presented by CNBC, I'm Stacey Kitch.

It was a tale that touched the hearts of thousands of Americans.

One cold evening in November 2017, Kate McClure is heading to Philadelphia for the night on the town.

She's just crossed the Delaware River when her car begins to sputter and stall. She's out of gas.

Kate McClure was driving from New Jersey down 95 South into the city trying to meet a friend.

She said that she thought she could make it. She knew she was running low on gas, but was gonna wait until she met her friend.

She manages to guide the nearest exit ramp and pulls onto the shoulder.

McClure panics. She's not familiar with this Philly neighborhood. Homeless people fill the streets.

She startled by a knock on her car window.

She said she saw this man come up little scared at first because she's it's dark. She's alone.

He said, hey, don't worry about it. Don't get out of your car.

He's not asking for a handout. This homeless man is about to flip the script.

Listen, you wait here. I'm gonna walk to the gas station that's not too far.

And use my last $20 and make sure I can bring you gas to put in your car and basically get her going again.

The homeless man, Johnny Bobbitt, is a marine corps veteran and self-confessed drug addict.

He was originally from North Carolina and had served in the Marines and then found himself homeless on the streets of Philly.

She waits. He walks. He comes back. He spends his last $20 to get the gas and then she was on her way.

Kate McClure wants to find some way to thank her unlikely hero.

Accompanied by her boyfriend, Mark Demiko McClure tracks down Bobbitt the next day and brings him some gifts.

They came back with money. I think they had some warm clothes for him. They had some food.

But the couple want to do more for their new friend. They start up a GoFundMe account for Bobbitt.

And that's when that picture was taken off of I-95 in Philadelphia.

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