A heartwarming viral moment has taken a bizarre turn after a Detroit man who was gifted $100,000 from a famous YouTuber claimed he was kidnapped, beaten, and nearly killed just weeks later.
Curtis Dixon’s life changed last month when he was approached outside American Jewelry and Loan in the city by a man pretending to be blind.
The 60-year-old was there to pawn his wedding ring so he could get his lights turned back on, but he took a moment to help the stranger.
"I’ll have a couple bucks when I come out here. I’m going to pawn my wedding ring man," he said. "My lights were shut off yesterday. Yeah I’ll give you a couple bucks."
What he didn’t know was that the “blind man” was actually influencer Zach Dereniowski, better known as MD Motivator, who rewards good deeds with life-changing gifts.
That day, Dereniowski handed a stunned Dixon $1,000 in cash. In a second video posted to Dereniowski’s TikTok page, Dixon is seen receiving more money raised from supporters around the world ultimately amounting to $100,000.
“We need more people like Curtis in this world,” Dereniowski said at the time. “Everyone can do these small acts because the small acts are what matters. That’s where all this money came from. Everyone that had a small amount to give wanted to give to you because they felt your heart.”
Dixon was overwhelmed with the generosity shown to him.
“I keep asking him why. Why did you help me? Because god told me to help you,” he said after being given the money. “First and foremost. I would do it for you, I would do it for anybody else.”
But the fairytale didn’t last long.
@mdmotivator “God told me to help you” 🥹❤️ (GoFundMe 1N B10) #money #homeless #wedding #kindness #married Internet meet Curtis. Curtis is a 61 year old husband and father from Detroit, Michigan. Curtis was in the midst of pawning his wedding ring in hopes to pay his light bill to keep his lights in his home on, which shut off the day before. Although he was going through a tough financial circumstance, Curtis helped me with some of the money he made from pawning his wedding ring. When I asked him why he was helping a complete stranger, he told me, “God told me to do so. To feel something for you, I don’t have to know you”. Let's all come together and show Curtis and his family the power of the internet and bless them. 100% of the funds raised will go to paying Curtis’ living expenses. Be kind and love always ❤️
♬ original sound - Zachery Dereniowski
Last Monday, Dixon was allegedly discovered hog-tied in his burned out SUV on Detroit’s east side.
He claimed he had been kidnapped after meeting someone near Mt. Elliot and Nevada, forced to withdraw money from several ATMs, assaulted, tied up, and left in the vehicle as it went up in flames, sources told FOX2.
@mdmotivator “I got $100,000 dollars for you” 🥹❤️ #money #kindness #surprise #family #car Thank you to everyone who watched Part 1, liked, commented, shared, and donated to Curtis and his family. YOU changed his life. YOU changed the life of his wife. YOU changed the life and trajectory of his grand babies. Thank YOU for being the change, the difference. Without YOU, none of this would ever be possible. Be kind and love always ❤️
♬ original sound - Zachery Dereniowski
The same sources, however, say there are inconsistencies in Dixon’s story.
This week, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) took over the case from Detroit Police, investigating possible arson, kidnapping, and extortion, FOX2 reported.
Sources told the outlet that Dixon is now ‘lying low’ at an unknown location.
