When professional optician Eddie de Jesus visits Ester’s school in Pinellas Park, Assistant Administrator Debra Davies knows it’s going to be a good day.

A short time ago two students, brothers, from a financially challenged family were in dire need of eye glasses.

“I saw Eddie one Sunday and I said what can you do to help?  And the next day he was here.  And how much did it cost? Not one penny,” Davies said.  “I wasn’t surprised at all… just knowing his heart and demeanor.”

For Eddie, this generosity was not unusual.  He has helped many families.  Now, semi-retired, he has a booth at the Wagon Wheel Flea Market in Pinellas Park.

A U.S. Army vet who served in Vietnam, he’s traveled his own tough road including time when he was homeless.  Help from the Veterans Administration turned things around for him.  Now he ‘gives back’ and back and back.

“I have old friends in the optical business that know what I’m doing now and they say, ‘Eddie, you’re crazy. How are you going to survive’? You can’t run a business like that.’  I say but it’s not about the money,” de Jesus said

For Debra, Eddie’s kindness is inspiring.

“It’s just special to know that are still people in the world that are willing to help the underprivileged,” Davies said.

“You can’t put a price on a child’s vision. You can’t,” de Jesus said.

And Eddie de Jesus, a man of sight, sees things this way.

“Money comes.  Money goes you know. It doesn’t make Eddie,’ he laughed.

For Help:

Eddie’s Optical

Booth C-175

Wagon Wheel Flea Market

Pinellas Park

727-278-7789