A lot of people’s lives changed during the pandemic in 2020 and Brian Arya, the co-owner of the Lincoln Tunnel Motel in North Bergen, New Jersey, can relate. Not only did he shift his career from acting to helping run his father’s motel, but he also started a TikTok account that now reaches millions of people.
The motel that Arya runs isn’t a typical motel. When Arya saw first hand how many people were losing their homes due to financial difficulties, he started a program called “Free Room for You” to help those who had lost their living spaces. And his audience on TikTok soon took notice of Arya’s good deeds and began sending him donations for food, toiletries and the utilities of the motel.
Arya’s most popular TikTok videos showcase his guests, who are sometimes eccentric, but always grateful for the chance to have a place to stay without worry that they will be evicted. His videos are heartwarming reminders that there are good deeds being done everyday, even in the middle of difficult times.
"There's definitely a community there," Arya told CBS. "[You've] just got to get to know people, get to know their stories. And I'm fortunate I get to do that." Thanks to the help of his TikTok followers, Arya has given away between 50 and 60 rooms to people in need since the start of the pandemic.