Over the course of three roller-coaster months, 14,076 people contributed $342,106 to Chauncy Black-enough to buy his family a new house. Watching the money grow was intoxicating Matt wondered how long the explosion of charity would last. By the end of the night, the fund had doubled, and then it quickly doubled again. Matt called the campaign “Chauncy’s Chance” and set its goal at $250-enough to buy a lawn mower so Chauncy could start a landscaping business. And then someone suggested that Matt start a GoFundMe page for Chauncy. Strangers offered Chauncy’s family furniture, food, and an air conditioner. He was certain he was doing God’s will when his Facebook post began racking up shares and likes. In this chance encounter with a teenager, Matt again felt the stirrings of the Holy Spirit. One morning after a bender, Matt said, he nearly ran his car off the road and, believing he’d been saved by divine intervention, decided to offer his life up to God. He had a day job in the music industry and dealt party drugs at night. In 2008, when Matt was in his early 20s, his father was diagnosed with cancer three months later, he died. He was the son of a successful medical-malpractice attorney and a homemaker. Like Chauncy, Matt was born and raised in Memphis, albeit in a different milieu. As we unpacked the food into their kitchen, you could see the hope coming back into Chauncy’s eyes. “When we got to his house I was truly humbled. Matt drove Chauncy (and the sacks of groceries) home. “All the while we talked and he told me how he makes straight A’s in school and is trying to get a job to help his mom pay rent,” Matt posted on Facebook the next day. Matt White bought Chauncy the donuts-and cereal and peanut butter and toothbrushes and frozen vegetables, too. In exchange for buying him this “dinner,” Chauncy told the guy, he’d carry his groceries. Sometime after 9 p.m., Chauncy filled a box with a dozen donuts and approached a tall white man in his 30s. To hear more feature stories, see our full list or get the Audm iPhone app.

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