When Jose Fierro well opens the door to his 1997 Ford Thunderbird LX, he has to be very, very careful not to push it. I want to make sure the battery is good. He uses this device to test the battery because he relies on the cars electric to power his laptop. Mr V, as he's affectionately known, is a substitute teacher and tutor, and he's been living in this car in Fontana for a long time. It's about eight years, I think, since I started working for the District in 2013 because he's a substitute. His hours were entirely cut in the early days of the pandemic, and like many other immigrants, he sacrificed a lot to provide for his family. I couldn't possibly support my family and extended family in Mexico entrance an apartment in here at the same time with the type of income that I can that I can have. That's why that's why he lives here. Like every day I'd go out to work, were like around five in the morning. I'd see him, you know, going through his trunk, and I just felt like the need to do something about it. So Mr Weise former student Steven Nava did something about it. He created a fundraising account and shared it on social media. The goal was to pretty much make 5000. And now here we are, like six times the amount we've made today. On his 77th birthday, with a serenade from his former students, Stephen presented Mr V with a check for $27,000. Still haven't been able to to digest the entire experience. It's extraordinary. Yeah, totally unexpected. But Steven says it's been an honor. We don't appreciate these teachers enough. And that's something that we should be doing to help the man who helped mold so many students want to say Happy birthday. Thank you. Good to see him again. You made a big impact on them, that's for sure. I had no idea. Reporting in Fontana Nicole Comstock cake all my news
'It's totally unexpected': Former students surprise struggling teacher
Jose Villaruel, known as Mr. V by his students, has been living in his 1997 Ford Thunderbird for several years. He said he lives in the car so he can provide more for his family. "I couldn't possibly support my family and extended family in Mexico and rent an apartment here at the same time with the income that I can have. That's why," Villaruel told KCAL. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the substitute teacher and tutor in California lost his hours.That inspired his former students to step in and help. "Like 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," said Steven Nava, one of Villaruel's former students. Nava created a fundraising page that he shared on social media, with a goal of raising $5,000 for Mr. V. But instead, this week, on Villaruel's 77th birthday, Nava presented him a check for $27,000."Still haven't been able to digest the whole experience. It's extraordinary. It's totally unexpected," Villaruel said.Nava said the gesture shows the impact Villaruel and all educators have on their students."We don't appreciate these teachers enough. And that's something that we should be doing," he said.
Jose Villaruel, known as Mr. V by his students, has been living in his 1997 Ford Thunderbird for several years.
He said he lives in the car so he can provide more for his family.
"I couldn't possibly support my family and extended family in Mexico and rent an apartment here at the same time with the income that I can have. That's why," Villaruel told KCAL.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the substitute teacher and tutor in California lost his hours.
That inspired his former students to step in and help.
"Like 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," said Steven Nava, one of Villaruel's former students.
Nava created a fundraising page that he shared on social media, with a goal of raising $5,000 for Mr. V.
But instead, this week, on Villaruel's 77th birthday, Nava presented him a check for $27,000.
"Still haven't been able to digest the whole experience. It's extraordinary. It's totally unexpected," Villaruel said.
Nava said the gesture shows the impact Villaruel and all educators have on their students.
"We don't appreciate these teachers enough. And that's something that we should be doing," he said.
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