The Fresh Prince of Bel Air himself, Will Smith, made a heartwarming appearance at Times Square for World’s Big Sleep Out, and his performance was incredible.
Will Smith performed in Times Square to an audience of hundreds who were sleeping outdoors in honour of the World’s Big Sleep Out, a worldwide fundraiser that aims to end homelessness. With around 50 events worldwide in places such as New York, London and New Delhi, many willing volunteers participated to raise money and awareness for the cause.
Smith performed a rendition of the theme song for his hit ’90s show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air as a “bedtime story,” and told the crowd how his role as homeless man Chris Gardner in his 2006 film The Pursuit of Happyness, changed him for the better.
“It makes me emotional thinking about it right and you know to not have a place to go and go be able to lay your head down with your children at night is a horrendous tragedy,” said Smith.
Will Smith speaking at World's #BigSleepOut in Times Square pic.twitter.com/gDVKEHa4FF
— Kadeem Lundy (@KLunJuly9) December 8, 2019
The goal of the Big Sleep Out was to raise $50 million for local and international charities with 50,000 people participating and sleeping outside.
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“Having worked with homeless people for the last seven years, I know how invisible and forgotten people can feel. What the incredible 60,000 people who slept out all over the world have done tonight is to shine the spotlight on this global issue and show that we care,” Big Sleep Out founder Josh Littlejohn said in a statement.
“I am truly blown away by the response to our campaign, in NYC and all over the world, and am sincerely grateful to every single person who has given up their beds tonight to raise the funds and awareness needed to make an impact. I hope that what happened in this campaign demonstrates a clear mandate for political action to tackle the homelessness crisis in NYC and all over the planet.”