On less than $5 a day, former London broker turned author and philanthropist, Leon Logothetis, traveled across America with the help of some extraordinarily kind strangers who supported him and even took him into their homes. After traveling the US, and visiting more than 90 countries and experiencing firsthand the power of random acts of kindness, Leon felt compelled to give back in a new way.
Currently, Leon is on another trip across America searching for kindness, but this time he is rewarding inspirational strangers with $1000 and sharing their heartfelt stories with others.
In an exclusive interview, Leon shares highlights from the first leg of his #GoBeKind tour, and brings you his emotional encounter with a single father in Denver (video above) who desperately needed a little kindness to secure a safe future for his son.
© Leon Logothetis
You're traveling from coast to coast in search of kindness, has it been hard to find?
People often ask me if it's hard to find kindness and the answer is a resounding no. It's amazing how when we just scratch the surface kindness comes bubbling up. I have been driving across America and the kindness I have been shown has opened up my eyes to the generosity of spirit that resides within the American psyche.
Why is spreading kindness to strangers so important to you?
My life has been transformed over and over again by the generosity of people I have met along my travels. And at the same time, when people are mean it affects me profoundly. So, I woke up one day and said to myself "Leon, you are going to go out into the world and try your best to be as positive and as kind as you possibly can to as many people as you can" and that's what I do, but of course I am not perfect. I try my best to be my best. Everyday.
Has there been a city, state or region where you were most overwhelmed by the kindness of a community?
I must say that the Midwest has been extremely kind to me. There seems to be something in the water in that part of the country, especially in Iowa! If there was one state that has opened their arms to me the most it is Iowa.
What do you hope this journey teaches you and those who follow you?
I hope that it teaches us all that the world, although at times bathed in darkness, is more often than not soaked in kindness. We just have to get beyond the stereotypes and see the beauty in the simple things. The kind things.
For more about Leon, follow his incredible journey across America here.