Substitute teacher living in car amid pandemic receives $27K check from former student

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 12:05 PM PT – Sunday, March 14, 2021

A California student raised over $20,000 dollars for a substitute teacher who was living in his car amid the pandemic.

Last week, 77-year old Jose Villarruel was gifted $27,000 after his former student 21-year-old Steven Nava arranged a GoFundMe page for him.

Jose Villarruel has been a substitute teacher in Fontana since 2013 — the same year he started living in his car — and when the pandemic hit, his hours were cut. But today, a former student presented him with a $27,000 check. “It’s extraordinary,” he said https://t.co/O2AsjVKGXt

— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) March 12, 2021

Villarruel resigned from teaching in 2020 when schools shifted to online learning.

TWITTER FRIENDS PLEASE HELP! every morning/ night I’ve always noticed this older man that would stay out in his car constantly at this parking lot near my house even when the weather was bad. He looked familiar and I’m sure alot of y’all have had him as a substitute in Fontana… pic.twitter.com/3hFpIAOMCO

— stvnna ⚡️ (@thesteven7) March 6, 2021

“I decided the school situation has changed completely,” Villarruel said. “And I believed that a job of a substitute was over.”

He had been living out of his car ever since.

Currently hanging out with him here at the Fontana Senior Center, if anyone wants to come out we’ll be here for a bit and then heading out to take him out for breakfast pic.twitter.com/fFfDGrgFFa

— stvnna ⚡️ (@thesteven7) March 6, 2021

“I was just devastated and gutted for the reality of the pandemic and how it has left teachers without a job,” former student Steven Nava said. “And this is one of the results. It’s sad to see one of your own teachers go through that.”

Nava noted it was an honor to help the man who has helped mold so many students.

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