{"id":684,"date":"2026-05-19T19:01:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T19:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=684"},"modified":"2026-05-19T19:01:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T19:01:52","slug":"viral-moment-between-miami-fashion-designer-and-homeless-man-changes-their-lives-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=684","title":{"rendered":"Viral moment between Miami fashion designer and homeless man changes their lives"},"content":{"rendered":"<article><!-- --><!-- --><!-- WPS-5038 -- removed the script from WPS and added the placeholder for trinity player --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- CONTENT --><!--[--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>It started with a hoodie, a pair of jeans and a question on a South Florida street and would change two lives forever.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=683\">What is Publix\u2019s open-carry policy? Supermarket explains new signs<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>A local fashion designer says he stopped a man he met on the sidewalk and asked a simple question: would he model for his clothing brand? That moment, which was captured on camera, quickly exploded online and racked up millions of views.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>However, the viral fame was only the beginning. Now, the man at the center of the story, Anthony Cruse, has received a life-changing surprise \u2014 $8,282 raised by more than 500 strangers online, all sparked by that original photo shoot.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Alex Carabes said he saw something in Cruse that others might have overlooked.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really believe in him,\u201d Carabes said. \u201cDon\u2019t ever judge someone because of what they look like or because of their situation. You never know what someone\u2019s going through.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Cruse, who said he has been living on the streets and working to regain custody of his children, admitted he was hesitant when approached for the shoot.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know if I should do it because I don\u2019t think I\u2019m worthy enough,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=681\">Does it cost more to fly after Spirit Airlines shut down? \u2018Upward pressure\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Still, he went forward with the photos and the images quickly took off across social media, generating what Carabes says amounted to tens of millions of interactions across platforms.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>That attention led Carabes to launch an online fundraising campaign in which hundreds of people contributed.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>For Cruse, the money represents more than viral attention \u2014 it represents a reset.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019ll help me get a place, get off the streets,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd get my kids straight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Cruse hopes to pursue modeling.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Carabes, who launched his brand only eight months ago, says the experience has reshaped his outlook and inspired him to use his platform to help others.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/floridamovingchronicle.com\/?p=680\">Stabbing leads police to shut down part of Biscayne Blvd. in downtown Miami<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p><i>This report was produced by Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--]--><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alex Carabes\u2019 photoshoot with a homeless man blew up online, generating millions of views and $8,282 to help Anthony Cruse find housing and rebuild his life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":676,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miami-dade-county"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - 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