A Camden, New Jersey, community came together behind a 16-year-old after he was robbed by a group of thieves while selling water.
Isaiah Cruz stands at the intersection between Baird Boulevard and Marlton Pike in Camden, often handing out verbal blessings along with his water sales, WPVI reported.
“I tell them, ‘God bless’ all the time, every single time I sell water. Thank you, thank you, God bless, even if they don’t buy it. I just still say, ‘God bless.’ I appreciate everything,” Cruz said.
Cruz stays out there seven days a week working 12 hours per day selling ice cold bottles of water to ensure his grandmother can make ends meet after his grandfather passed away last year, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
“I just try my best, I have two sisters, I make sure they good and give them money here and there,” Cruz said.
But a few weeks ago, after Cruz pulled a long shift, he was robbed of his iPhone and more than $1,000.
“They had a gun to my head and I thought I was going to die. Usually people out here that take people’s money, they make sure they die,” Cruz said.
Once the Camden community heard what happened to Cruz on social media, they rallied together to raise funds to make up the difference.
“Now he’s able to reinvest those funds back into his business and be able to increase his profit margin a little bit, so it’s been a blessing in disguise and I told Isaiah, ‘Stay encouraged because Camden got your back,'” said activist, Micah Khan.
Cruz continues to count his blessings while thanking his Camden family for having his back.