New Jersey community rallies behind 16-year-old robbed while selling water

CAMDEN, New Jersey (WPVI) -- A Camden, New Jersey community rallied together after a teen who sells water in the area was robbed by a group of thieves.

Isaiah Cruz,16, is a beacon of light at the intersection of Baird Boulevard and Marlton Pike in Camden.

"I tell them, 'God bless' all the time, every single time I sell water. Thank you, thank you, God bless, even if they don't buy it. I just still say, 'God bless.' I appreciate everything," Cruz said.

Cruz is out seven days a week, up to 12 hours each day selling cold bottles of water to help his grandma make ends meet after losing his grandfather.

"I just try my best, I have two sisters, I make sure they good and give them money here and there," Cruz said.

But just a couple of weeks ago, after pulling a long shift, Cruz was robbed. The thieves made off with more than $1,000 and his iPhone.

"They had a gun to my head and I thought I was going to die. Usually people out here that take people's money, they make sure they die," Cruz said.

The Camden community rallied together once they heard what happened to Cruz on social media. Since then, someone slipped him a $100 bill and many have donated to him via Cash App.

"Now he's able to reinvest those funds back into his business and be able to increase his profit margin a little bit, so it's been a blessing in disguise and I told Isaiah, 'Stay encouraged because Camden got your back,'" said activist, Micah Khan.

Cruz is counting every blessing while continuing to always say 'God bless' to his Camden family.

"I'm gonna still keep working hard, long as I get up to see another day, that's all that matters to me," Cruz said.