A homeless beggar with a 'golden voice' has been inundated with job offers and reunited with his mother after becoming a star online.
A film of honey-voiced Ted Williams begging by the roadside in Columbus, Ohio, went viral, notching up 12 million hits on YouTube.
It led to him appearing on US TV and radio chat shows, voice over job offers and a meeting with his 92-year-old mother who he had not seen in a decade.
Mr Williams, 53, had a promising radio career in the 1980s before he went off the rails, through drugs and alcohol, and he has a string of criminal convictions.
However, he never lost his silky voice and used it as a novelty when begging on the streets for spare change.
In an emotional meeting with his 92-year-old mother Julia in a New York hotel, Mr Williams fell to his knees as she hid her face in her hands.
"I love you... Hi Mommy, I'm home, I told you I was coming this year. I know I don't look the best but I'm home, I got a haircut," he said.
"I love you too, son," she replied before adding, "Please don't disappoint me."
Mr Williams told television interviewers that he hadn't been able to afford the train fare to see his mother who lives in New York.
"One of my biggest prayers that I sent out was that she would live long enough for me to see me rebound or whatever, and I guess God kept her around and kept my pipes around to maybe just have one more shot," he said.
He told the Early Show he always hoped someone might spot his talents, but he never expected the outpouring of job offers and media attention.
"It's like almost winning the Mega Ball lottery or something," he said. "It's just phenomenal."
No comments:
Post a Comment