Artem Smao, 14, Donates His Own Money To Unemployed Stranger (VIDEO)

Why This Teen Donated His Own Money To A Complete Stranger... (VIDEO)

Last month, 14-year-old Artem Smao was selling newspaper subscriptions to fundraise a trip to Tahoe, a popular West Coast ski destination. In a twist of events, the California teen ended up donating all of his money to a complete stranger when he knocked on Robynn Fried's front door.

Fried, a Lodi resident, told CBS News in Sacramento that she was unemployed at the time and two weeks away from being homeless when Smao approached her for a donation. When she explained that she could not afford to, the teen did not hesitate to hand over his envelope full of cash.

"That's just something you don't expect out of kids these days," Fried told the Lodi News-Sentinal. "He was trying to win a trip to Tahoe, so when you're trying to earn something, it's really unbelievable to have that person turn around and offer what they're trying to earn."

Less than a week after Smao's act of generosity, Fried was offered a job and said she wants to take the 14-year-old out to dinner to thank him.

Smao isn't the only teen who has gone out of his way to brighten someone else's day. Last July, four teens from Montana were on their way to a basketball game when they stumbled upon a wallet that was filled with $700. They returned the wallet completely intact before the owner even realized it was missing.

"We decided if we'd lost our wallet, we would want somebody to return it," Kaylee Olson, one of the 14-year-olds, told the Great Falls Tribune.

In March, another teen, 18-year-old Samantha Manns, set off to accomplish 89 random acts of kindness in honor of her 89-year-old grandmother who passed away.

"I want people to feel the happiness that comes with giving selflessly and with caring uncontrollably," Manns wrote on the "89 Acts of Kindness" Facebook page. "While it's a good feeling to be known, it's an even better and more rewarding feeling to know I'm inspiring people to commit their OWN acts of kindness!"

What do you think about these teens and their acts of kindness? Sound off in the comments below or tweet @HuffPostTeen.

Before You Go

Sam Porter

Young Life-Savers

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot