LEWISVILLE, Texas — As one of McDonald’s newest employees, Derrick Mounter considers it a blessing to serve burgers and fries.
But despite his good fortune, he says he was unprepared for the super-sized surprise that showed up last week.
“Oh my god,” Derrick said as he approached a car in the parking lot.
Inside the car were two angels who Mounter first met nearly two months earlier.
As we first reported a few weeks ago, Mounter was homeless and had been for four years when, one day back in January, Doug and Kyli Evans were driving nearby and saw him sitting outside in the cold.
“I prayed to God every single day, ‘God, please help me out of this situation,’” Mounter said.
“I couldn’t even believe it,” said Kyli Evans. “The human heart in me could not allow somebody to just sit outside in 12-degree weather, so I just wanted to do something.”
They brought Mounter to McDonald’s in Lewisville to warm up.
Paloma Robles was the manager on duty.
“I needed to help him,” Robles said. “I would not let him be outside in the cold.”
Once inside, Mounter told Robles how he’d gone to college for graphic design, but ended up homeless due to a breakup and a bad car wreck that nearly killed him.
He says he’d tried desperately to get a job.
“They told him 'No' because the way he was dressed up,” Robles said. “And I said, ‘I’m gonna give you that job. I’m gonna give you that opportunity that you’re looking for.’”
Robles says Mounter has been a model employee, showing up 15 minutes early despite having to walk every day.
That is, every day until now.
After we first told this story, the team at Frank Kent Motor Company helped get Mounter a car. A 2013 Toyota Corolla, which immediately drove him to tears.
“Thank you God,” Mounter whispered as he wiped tears from his eyes.
Obviously, it’s more than just a car. Mounter says it’s a sign he can go anywhere.
In fact, Robles is already training him to be a manager, but no matter his job title Mounter says he was given the one thing everyone deserves: a chance.
“[If we all gave someone a chance], it could change the world,” Robles said.
“I think you’d find a lot more Derricks,” said Kyli Evans.
A lot more Derricks just waiting for us to open our hearts and let them in.
The following video was uploaded in February.