Can we help Joe retire? 💗 If you've followed me for a while, you'll probably know who Joe is. But I don't think I'll ever be able to properly explain what this man means to me. 32 years ago, I was left as a newborn baby in a phone box. My biological mum walked away from me, not knowing what would happen to me. A complete stranger didn't. His name was Joe Campbell. Joe found me in the early hours of the morning and got me help. He could have walked away afterwards and carried on with his life, knowing he'd done a good thing. But he didn't. For years, Joe asked about me. He sent birthday cards, presents and money. His work friends joined in too. I never received those things, and eventually social services told him he had to stop. But he never forgot me. Growing up, I had a horrible childhood. I experienced things no child should have to experience, and by 18 I had been made homeless. All those years, I wondered about where I'd come from. I wondered about my birth family. And I wondered about the man called Joe who I'd read about in my life story book. I spent years searching for answers and wondering whether the people I came from ever thought about me. Then, in 2016, I made a public appeal looking for Joe and my biological mum. Within 24 hours, Joe came forward. My mum didn't. That hurt, and it still does. The woman who gave birth to me has chosen not to have me in her life. I can't change that. But the man who had absolutely no obligation to love me chose to care about me anyway. And he still does. 💗 Since the day we finally met, Joe has never left my side. His children welcomed me as their sister. His family became my family. He has shown me a kind of unconditional love that I spent so much of my childhood searching for. Joe found me when I had nobody. He remembered me when I didn't even know he was thinking about me. He searched for ways to stay connected to me when he was told he couldn't. And when I finally found him as an adult, he became the dad I never expected to find. He even gave me the name April. 💗 Now Joe needs looking after too. A few weeks ago, he had a knee replacement. He suffered complications, he's still in a lot of pain, and yet he's already gone back to work because he has a family to provide for. Seeing that breaks my heart. This man has spent his life working. He's spent 32 years caring about the little baby he happened to find one night. I can't give him back those years. But maybe, with enough people behind us, we can give him some of the years ahead. I want Joe to be able to stop working. To recover properly. To rest. To spend time with his children and grandchildren. To enjoy his life without worrying about having to keep going to work while he's in pain. 32 years ago, Joe helped save my life. Now I want to do something for him. 💗 If you can donate, even a small amount, thank you from the bottom of my heart. And if you can't donate, please share this. A share could put Joe's story in front of someone who can help. Can we help Joe retire? 💗 🔗 GoFundMe link in my bio.#Storytime #FYP #fundraiser #kindness #truestory - @aprilxox5