Jose Villarruel, known as “Mr. V” by his students, was presented a check for $27,000 on Thursday by Steven Nava, KTTV reported. It was Villarruel’s 77th birthday.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Villarruel’s hours had been cut as in-class learning was drastically curtailed.
“I decided the school situation has changed completely and I believed that a job of a substitute was over,” Villarruel told KTTV. “In May, I submitted my resignation. I managed to do all of the paperwork, all of the arrangements to get my pension. I got my check, but that check didn’t last long because I had debts already.”
Villarruel has been living out of his 1997 Ford Thunderbird LX since resigning, according to KCBS.
”My body has been adapted to all of the bumps and things from the seat,” Villarruel told KTTV. “It serves me as transportation, serves as a dining room, and serves as a bedroom.”
Nava saw Villarruel last week and remembered how the teacher helped him, particularly in passing his math course.
“Every day I’d go out to work around 5 a.m. and see him going through his trunk, and I just felt the need to do something about it,” Nava told KCBS.
Nava said he was upset when he saw the former teacher living out of his vehicle because of the pandemic.
“I was just devastated and gutted for the reality of the pandemic and how it has left teachers without a job and this is one of the results,” Nava told KTTV. “It’s sad to see one of your own teachers go through that so it only makes you want to help out more.”
Nava gave Villarruel $300 and then decided to start a GoFundMe page. He shared the fundraiser on social media, and Villarruel’s story garnered more than 1.7 million views on TikTok.
“Our goal was to pretty much make $5,000, and here we are, six times the amount we’ve made,” Nava told KCBS.
Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren and former students gathered at the Fontana Community Senior Center for a celebration on Thursday. That’s when Villarruel was given the $27,000 check and other gifts.
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(Photo courtesy of FoxLA Facebook)
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