Teen Gives Homeless Man the Shoes off His Feet

The story of a Georgia teen who performed a simple act of kindness touched thousands of people online, and now his community is taking a moment to recognize him. Phil Powell is a senior at New Manchester High School in Douglas County, and was honored Tuesday night by the Board of Education for a touching gesture earlier this summer when he gave a homeless man the very shoes off his feet. “We appreciate Phil for shining a positive light on New Manchester High School, the Douglas County School System, and Douglas County,” school officials said in a statement. “We are proud that he is one of ours.” Powell says he was just doing what he thought was right, but to understand why Powell did what he did, it’s necessary to go back in time to when he was younger and living without a home. “I was homeless from I think age 8 till age 18,” Powell said. “I’m 18 now and my last time being homeless was last year, right around my birthday.”