Tucker, Georgia — Editor’s Note: This video above is from a previous article.
There is a new angel in heaven. But then again, Carolyn Collins was already an angel on Earth to many who knew her.
She was a mother, a friend to countless students, and a woman who went out of her way to show others that she cared.
“These are our babies,” Collins told 11Alive’s Liza Lucas when they first met five years ago. “They just want to learn. I just want to take care of them.” Some sleep in cars, some sleep in hotels.”
It was 2017 and Collins had already found her calling. A janitor was operating out of Tucker High School after seeing students go in without basic needs.
What she knew then was that some students had been dropped off early, had nowhere to go and were hungry. Her mission is also motivated by the loss of her son, who was killed during her home invasion.
We’re just trying to stop boys from stealing and killing,” Collins said, adding that the reason for the crime was often the result of homelessness and cries for help. .
“I try to give them everything they need in this closet,” Collins said.
She often stocked her closet with supplies, clothes, and food, often paying out of her own pocket.
But after 11Alive and others learned of her big heart, Collins’ mission got the attention it deserved. The story went viral and has amassed over a million views. Collins even made her trip to Los Angeles to visit The Steve Harvey Show. Harvey surprises her with shopping for her closet, along with the money Collins spends on herself.
But attention never changed her focus. Her mission to help others remained.
“I’m still the same person,” Collins said. Church is involved. schools are involved. “
Collins left behind her husband of 35 years, her children, her grandchildren, and the school and community that loved her.