Billionaire Ty Warner gives woman $20,000 after chance encounter

Billionaire Ty Warner gives woman $20,000 after chance encounter

Jennifer Vasilakos

Talk about fate.

Jennifer Vasilakos was trying to raise money – $20,000 to be exact – so that she could have a lifesaving operation.

She suffers from kidney failure, does not qualify for a transplant and needs the $20,000 for a stem cell procedure.

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Vasilakos was “working” the intersection in Santa Barbara, CA to raise the much needed funds when a man stopped and asked for directions.

She provided the man with directions and also took the opportunity to give him one of her flyers.

He returned about an hour later and it turned out to  a life changing moment for Jennifer Vasilakos.

Billionaire Ty Warner gives woman $20,000 after chance encounter

On her blog she wrote,

Rolling down his window, he reached out his hand and introduced himself.  I immediately recognized his name.  He was kind and sincere as he looked directly into my eyes…  I listened as he repeated over and over that he was going to help me.  That my fundraising was done.  That I didn’t need to worry any longer.  He said he would send a check after he returned to his offices during the week.

She received the check but then found there was a stop payment issued.

Turns out she did not need to worry.  For some reason, there was concern that the check had fallen into the wrong hands and had apparently stopped the payment.

A representative for Ty Warner met with Jennifer Vasilakos  at the Biltmore for lunch,

We sat down inside the Biltmore, and with a large smile he reassured me that Ty Warner wanted to reissue the donation check.  He was warm and patient, as he listened to me talk about my pending stem cell treatment.  This wasn’t all though.  Ty Warner also wanted to support my efforts to bring attention to how stem cell medicine can help with kidney failure.  “Astounding”, I thought.  My second wish is also coming true:  potentially helping thousands of people have more access to information, which might positively change their lives.

A great story with a great outcome.

We wish Jennifer the very best.

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• no good deed goes unpunished
• Billionaire gives woman $20K for stem cell procedure

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