By Late in 2011, a writer for the website True American Story came across a homeless military veteran named Ronald Paul Burden and recorded a short video detailing his struggle. Little did Burden know, his long-lost son would eventually come across the clip on YouTube, and coordinate the most unlikely of Google+ Hangout sessions — a father and son, half the country apart, speaking to each other for the very first time.
In December of last year, Worley spotted the homeless veteran chasing down a bus in order to help a handicapped man board it. Worley was so touched by the gesture that he shot a video as Burden explained what life on the streets is like. Worley posted the video to True American Story, where it sat for several months. Thanks to a lucky hit on YouTube, Burden's son Travis came across the video and contacted Worley in hopes of tracking down his father. Worley eventually organized a Google+ hangout so the two could chat for the very first time.
In the heartwarming video, Burden and his son, Travis Prescott, spend a solid 47 minutes catching up on things and generally enjoying each others' company for the first time ever. Prescott currently lives in Texas with his wife, while Burden resides in Florida. The elder talks of his fruitless search for his son, and the two speak excitedly as they anticipate meeting face-to-face in the near future.
This article was written by Mike Wehner and originally appeared on Tecca
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