Family Life

04.15.09 | FL News Team

He came from Pittsburgh, roots for the Steelers, is 29-years-old and is a really, really nice guy. That's all that is known about a Good Samaritan who blew into Chicago earlier this month and did some good deeds for complete strangers. The "Windy Citizen" news blog pieced together his story from the YouTube video of the five tasks he performed for needy Chicagoans he had found through Craig's List. 

"Pittsburgh Joe," as he is been dubbed, first installed a car battery for an out-of-work van owner who could not get to the side jobs that helped him make ends meet. Then Pittsburgh Joe gave a lift to someone buying a second-hand truck. That guy was a Hurricane Ike victim who needed to clean up his wrecked home. A third person was helping a friend clean out a demolished bathroom, so Pittsburgh Joe pitched in to help. 

On Day Two of his mission, Pittsburgh Joe tore down an old, rotting swingset. This time he got some help from the grateful new truck owner. His fifth and last mission was to drop off donated clothing to the Chicago Homeless Sandwich Run. The charity provides the homeless with lunch, coffee, clothes and personal items. The donated items included a Steelers sweatshirt, of course.

Pittsburgh Joe insisted on only one form of payment, by the way. He wants every recipient to "pay it forward" and find someone else in need of a good deed. He is also insisting on anonymity.