Homeless man given boots by officer identified - Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

Homeless man given boots by officer identified

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The family of the homeless man who received a pair of boots by a NYPD officer in Times Square was stunned to find out he was their relative.

The New York Post says the homeless man's name is Jeffrey Hillman and his brother, Kirk Hillman was surprised when he saw a copy of The Post with his youngest brother on the front page.

The 54-year-old vagrant gained national attention when NYPD officer Larry DePrimo brought him a pair of boots. A tourist from Arizona captured the moment on video and it went viral.

Kirk Hillman's wife told The Post she followed the story on TV, but never recognized the homeless man as her own brother-in law. She said the last time they talked to him was about a year ago.

Kirk, Jeffrey and their brother Alfred grew up in South Plainfield, NJ. The family said Jeffrey has been jobless since the 1980's.

Hillman has been living in homeless shelters and most recently in Hell's Kitchen and Harlem, according to The Post.

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