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SALT LAKE CITY — Following the example of his father, who always gave the spare bed to someone who needed it, Tony Tolbert offered his fully furnished home to a homeless family.
Tolbert, an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, recently moved back in with his parents to help care for his father Jimmy Tolbert, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. In the meantime, he gave his home to Felicia Dukes and her four children.
Dukes and three of her children had been living in a single bedroom of the Alexandria House, a women's and children's shelter in LA. Her oldest son had aged past the shelter's coverage and was forced to live elsewhere.
When Tolbert contacted the shelter and later offered his home to Dukes, she didn't believe it.
"My heart just fills up and I'm just really happy," Dukes told CBS News.
Tolbert's mother said he has always been kind and giving. But he says the example of his father — whose home was always open and had a warm bed to give to those down on their luck — inspired him. He said growing up, someone was always staying with the family at the invitation of his father.
"Kindness creates kindness. Generosity creates generosity. Love creates love," Tolbert said.
Tolbert is clearly passionate about giving and its impact beyond the receiver.
"I think if we can share some of that and have more stories about people doing nice things for other people, and fewer stories about people doing horrible things to other people, that's a better world."
