On the streets of Detroit, a 51-year-old Army veteran named Chantwan was facing his seventh day of freedom after serving 21 years in prison. He had no home, no support system, and no place to turn—until he crossed paths with a stranger holding a camera.

That stranger was Zachery Dereniowski, known online as @MDMotivator, a TikTok creator famous for using viral videos to uplift lives. In this latest video, Dereniowski offered Chantwan a choice: take $1,000 or a mystery basketball. Chantwan picked the basketball. He then shared it was his birthday and that he had just been released from prison six days earlier, after serving time for a crime that stemmed from a personal crisis following his deployment to Iraq with the U.S. Army for eight years, Our Midland reported.

Photo: Instagram / mdmotivator

A viral video helped raise over $120,000 for a homeless Army veteran.

“This Is My First Free Birthday”

The moment unfolded on video. Dereniowski asked what Chantwan’s dream was.

“To be happy,” he said.

When asked if he felt happy at that moment, Chantwan quietly replied, “I think I’m more happy because you’re not dehumanizing me. Everybody else has been dehumanizing me.”

As Primetimer reports, Chantwan spoke openly about the life-altering event that led to his incarceration—returning from deployment to find his wife with another man.

If he could change anything, he said, “I would walk away. That was hell, man. I’ve never been in trouble in my life.”

Moved by his story, Dereniowski gave him $1,000, an ice cube tray, and a courtside ticket to a BIG3 basketball game—on behalf of rapper and actor Ice Cube. That night, Chantwan met Ice Cube, saw Dwight Howard play, and celebrated his birthday with strangers singing and bringing him a brownie with a candle, the Midland Daily News reports.

From TikTok to $120K

Dereniowski didn’t stop there. He launched a fundraiser titled “Slingshot” to help cover Chantwan’s living expenses. The response was swift. Donations poured in from across the country, and within days, the campaign raised over $124,000 of its $150,000 goal.

“Let’s all come together and show Chantwan the power of the internet… we believe in giving humans a second chance,” Dereniowski wrote.

The viral video has racked up over 45 million views on TikTok, 15 million on Instagram, and 12 million on Facebook. But the numbers only hint at the emotional weight behind the campaign. For Chantwan, the outpouring of kindness gave him more than shelter. It gave him hope.

Chantwan, 51year old father and grandfather, removed from
prison 6 days ago after serving a 21 year sentence. Chantwan served
for the Us army in lraq for 8 years, and when coming home to
surprise his wife after deployment, he came home to another man in
his home and actd wrongly [pic.twitter.com/uiQVs0N4e8](http://pic.twitter.com/uiQVs0N4e8)

— Ọmọ́táyọ̀ Olókèdé (@Iamkolotayo) July 24, 2025

“Love Ain’t Supposed to Hurt”

“This is my first free birthday,” Chantwan said in the video. “When I woke up, I was excited. My family… they left me in there by myself. Love ain’t ever supposed to hurt more than it feels good.”

In a world quick to forget the most vulnerable, Chantwan’s story reminds us how a small gesture—shared with millions—can deliver far more than views. It can offer someone a fresh start.