People raised $100K for landscaper whose work truck was stolen and wrecked in a car chase
It's a bizarre story that ultimately shows the best humanity has to offer.

The Benitez family business relied heavily on their white truck.
It feels pretty safe to say that having a car stolen is universally traumatic. The invaded privacy, potential loss of irreplaceable items (everything from expensive equipment to silly trinkets that might hold immense sentimental value), and financial strain are enough to be devastating for anyone. And for those whose livelihoods depend on their vehicle, this stress is exponentially greater. The fact that people choose to inflict this kind of damage upon others is enough to make one lose faith in the human race.
However, despite humanity’s potential to commit truly awful acts, it always holds an equal amount of potential to help each other in times of need.
For landscaper Andres Benitez, paying the bills and putting food on the table relied heavily on the family’s work truck, along with the tools used for their business inside. According to NBC Los Angeles, it was something that the Benitez family saved up for years to afford. Then, on Nov. 9, it was stolen and used in a chaotic two-hour police pursuit from Orange to L.A. County in California.The car thief broke into the Benitez home, stole the keys, then sped away—driving the wrong way on narrow two-lane roads, running red lights and crashing into multiple cars. By the time the illegal driver was arrested, the family’s work truck was heavily damaged.
To make matters worse, even though the truck was insured, it was now considered evidence and would possibly not be returned for a very long time—if at all.
If you saw that insane #carchase last night in #LosAngeles and #OC you know the #Benitez family needs help getting back to their landscape biz.
— Cocolicious (@CocoLicious_11) November 10, 2022
Work Truck Stolen With Tools https://t.co/bx621rrssa
Benitez might have been initially heartbroken, but he would soon be surprised that in his darkest hour, he would be met with compassion. He shared in an Instagram post that within only an hour of the incident unfolding, people showed up with trucks and tools to share, and were even offering volunteer work.
Benitez would later set up a GoFundMe page, initially only to raise enough money to replace the lost landscaping tools. But as of Nov. 15, the page has raised more than $100,000, allowing the family to get a new truck and continue earning a living.
As Benitez shared in a subsequent Instagram post, the whole thing was a “tragedy turned into a blessing,” one he plans to pay forward by getting in touch with and helping another victim in the incident who similarly used his van for work.
The young landscaper might describe the episode as a “life changing experience,” but fortunately, in this case it’s an uplifting use of the term.
“[It’s] truly heartwarming and unbelievable… [it] puts a big smile on my face knowing there’s people out there who truly care about helping me and my family get back on our feet…it’s just insane and still feels very unreal. I really am truly thankful and appreciate every single one of you for helping us out,” he said.
While it’s true that car theft is a serious issue (and one that has increased at an alarming rate over the past couple of years) it’s still a comfort to know that no matter the statistic, the world is full of people willing to step in and help. When egregious acts are seemingly plentiful, it becomes crucial to look at what right things are happening.
- People have raised more than $200K for man whose Burger King 'goodie bag' story went viral ›
- Ginger the dog reunited with family 5 years after being stolen ›
- After a Los Angeles street musician had his drums stolen, Metallica stepped in to save the day ›
- Woman donates Spider-Man bike to 3-year-old after it was stolen - Upworthy ›
- Georgia Cop surprises young boy with a PlayStation 5 - Upworthy ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."