Georgia woman who faced backlash after taking photo of a homeless dad issues apology

A woman who snapped a picture of a man sleeping in a Fayette County, Georgia McDonald’s and belittled him in a Facebook post, recently met the man and apologized for her actions.

Simon Childs, 21, a homeless dad, was sleeping in between his work shifts at the restaurant when Luann Cofield began minding his business and snapped a photo of him. After she posted the photo on Facebook, people came to his defense and criticized Cofield for shaming the young man, according to Atlanta’s WSB-TV 2.

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On Friday, Cofield met up with Childs in person and tearfully apologized.

“I’m sorry, you know? Because you know that horrified me. That breaks my heart for you,” Cofield told Childs as she hugged him.

When a Channel 2 reporter asked her why she was so emotional, she replied: “I didn’t want to hurt him.”

For Childs, however, the viral picture, which prompted donations and generous offers of housing and a vehicle, has since changed his life.

“I’m no longer sleeping in a McDonald’s, so that’s good,” Childs told Johnson. “I feel great.”

Childs was gifted with the use of an SUV, new clothes and a new job, thanks to donors in his community.

Cofield said all of the backlash she received from the post caused her to delete her Facebook account.

And the young man said he doesn’t hold any grudges against Cofield and is actually thankful for her.

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“I do want to thank you,” Childs told Cofield, reported Channel 2. “Not for the post per se, but for helping me pick my life up off the ground.”

For what it’s worth, Cofield said she learned a big lesson and would never do something like this again.

“Absolutely not. And I would handle it differently. Maybe talk to somebody, talk to them and see what the situation is,” Cofield said.

Childs said he plans to use some of the donations pouring in to help others in the same situation.

“I actually want to use everything I’m getting from this and help other homeless people,” Childs said.

A GoFundMe account set up for Childs had a $5,000 goal and so far, $9,602 dollars have been raised.

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