Fresno viral video: Teen buys homeless man Taco Bell then invites him to eat together

A Fresno teenager’s kind gesture toward a homeless man at a Taco Bell has gone viral after it was caught on video.

Michael Moreno, a student at San Joaquin Memorial High, had just gotten out of school when he decided to pick up a quick meal at the Taco Bell near Blackstone and McKinley avenues.

That’s when a man named Vance started approaching cars and asking people for change.

“He said he was trying to get bus fare to get back to his motel,” Moreno said.

While other customers in the drive-thru line ignored the man, Moreno, 16, decided to roll down his window and asked the man if he was hungry.

With a look of appreciation and surprise, the man nodded yes.

So Moreno bought him three soft tacos and a drink, and asked the man to meet him on the other side of the parking lot to give him the food.

The teen’s benevolent act didn’t stop there.

As shown in the video that was taken April 16, Moreno parks his truck and hands over the bag of food. Then he opens the tailgate of his pickup and invites the man to sit on the truck’s bed with him and eat together.

“I had a lot of free time that day, and he had a look on his face like he wasn’t having a good day,” Moreno said. “I could tell he wanted to talk.

“It just seems like people in his circumstances, they don’t always get to talk to a lot of people. So we talked and I mostly listened.”

Moreno said he learned the man’s name was Vance but everyone called him Uncle Joe.

The man shared with Moreno that he’d lived in Fresno all of his life, yet met his wife on the Coast while on a trip.

Vance also told Moreno that he had three adopted daughters and a biological daughter.

Moreno said he didn’t ask many questions.

Vance simply opened up about his life details, including how years ago he went to Edison briefly then jumped around high schools.

Moreno, who was wearing his school uniform that consists of a white shirt and khaki pants, shared how he was a sophomore at Memorial.

“It seemed like he had a rough life, and it wasn’t always his fault that he ended up where he is,” Moreno said. “I mean, I’m sure he has a lot to do with it.

“But he also said he’s been working to improve his situation. I thought it was super cool to hear his story.”

Meanwhile, a woman in the Taco Bell parking lot video recorded the interaction. She posted it on TikTok and it quickly generated thousands of views, last count at approximately 920,000 views as of Tuesday with more views watched on other social media platforms.

“To the guy that was at Taco Bell in Fresno, CA, across from Dutch Bros. on McKinley that bought this man food and sat with him in the back of your truck, and had a conversation with him,” the woman who recorded the video said in a robotic voice. “Just know that you are heaven sent.”

Moreno said he had no clue he was being filmed and that he doesn’t know the woman who recorded the video.

He didn’t even know about the video recording until a friend asked him a couple days later if he was at Taco Bell recently. Then the friend sent Moreno the video clip.

Moreno and his family said they were surprised by the amount of attention the video received.

“I was very proud of him, told him he was a sweet boy,” mother Sally Moreno said. “We have talked in our house how if you want to help somebody, sometimes you have to interact with them.

“You can’t just throw money at those types of problems. You have to show them that you care.”

Based on his reading of the video comments, Moreno said he believes one of the reasons the video went viral is because many people also would like to help the less fortunate.

Moreno does caution about doing so.

“Only if it’s safe would I encourage it,” Moreno said. “I was in a parking lot with a big crowd in the afternoon. I felt safe.

“Not all homeless people are bad people. But not all people are great people.”

Moreno said he and Vance spoke for about 45 minutes before parting ways.

Moreno isn’t sure if he’ll see Vance again.

But Moreno said he enjoyed their conversation and would say hi if their paths crossed again.

“Not everyone who’s homeless or living in a motel are drug addicts,” Moreno said. “They’re trying their best.

“Vance, he just seemed like a nice guy to have a conversation with. I’m glad I did.”

This story was originally published April 28, 2021 at 8:05 AM.