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Sandra Bullock Donates $5,000 to Homeless Former Beverly Hills Hotel Pool Manager’s GoFundMe Page

Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock attends the Opening Ceremony And 'Gravity' Premiere during the 70th Venice International Film Festival at the Palazzo del Cinema on August 28, 2013 in Venice, Italy.Ian Gavan/Getty Images

Lending a helping hand. Actress Sandra Bullock donated $5,000 to Svend Petersen, the beloved 86-year-old former pool manager of the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Accompanying her donation to Petersen’s GoFundMe page, the Oscar winner wrote, “Everything is going to be ok!” attributing the quote to her 7-year-old son, Louis.

Svend Petersen
Svend Petersen. Courtesy GoFundMe

Petersen, nicknamed “the cabana king” and “the poolside prince,” quickly spiraled downhill after being taken advantage of by realtors who swindled him into selling his house at an unfair price, leading him into trouble with the IRS, according to his donation site.

Related: Stars Who’ve Filed for Bankruptcy

Working at the hotel for over 40 years, Petersen once interacted with some of Hollywood’s biggest and most legendary names, from Marilyn Monroe to Katherine Hepburn, on a daily basis. Now, living out of a motel, he survives on just two bananas a day.

“Sometimes I go three or four days without food,” Petersen revealed to CBSLA.

Organizers of his GoFundMe page wrote: “We are giving Svend money to stay alive, but cannot continue this project alone…Svend needs help,” setting a goal of $5,900 to finance Sven’s apartment rent and food for three months. As of Friday, April 14, just 10 days after the donation page went live, more than $30,000 has already been raised for Petersen.

Related: Stars Who Have Bared Their Souls About Their Struggles

This isn’t the first time Bullock has opened her wallet for those in need. She’s also an avid supporter of the American Red Cross, and has donated $1 million to the organization several times. In 2013, she won the Favorite Humanitarian Award at the People’s Choice Awards for her commitment to improving a New Orleans High School that had been severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. 

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