How a chance meeting changed the life of a former star college athelete turned homeless
An Indiana University alum was surprised to see a homeless man wearing a branded backpack from his school. When he approached him, their lives changed forever. Steve Hartman takes us on the road.
While walking along a path in Austin, Texas, Jasper Steinmetz stumbled upon a man with an Indiana University athletic backpack. Recognizing their shared heritage, they struck up a conversation. The man, Sampson James, had been homeless for eight months, and Steinmetz was shocked to learn that James had once been a four-star football recruit out of Avon High School in Indiana.
James had played for Indiana University, Purdue, and even returned as a walk-on before a severe knee injury and bipolar disorder forced him to drop out without graduating. With nowhere to go, James had lost everything except his red school backpack. It was during their encounter that Steinmetz offered help. He launched a successful online fundraiser that raised $17,000 for James, which was followed by a generous offer of a home with everything he needed to start over.
Now, James and Steinmetz walk along the same path, their bond strengthened by shared experiences and a common Hoosier connection.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
