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Helping Roseville's Dancing Man: How A Stranger And A Community Rallied To Get Him Back On His Feet

ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — He's known to many as Roseville's Dancing Man. When he needed help, people responded.

If you've ever been in Roseville, you've likely seen Clifford Keys. One day he wasn't dancing, and when he returned, one stranger pulled over to ask where he had been.

For years, Keys danced on street corners in Roseville to help with the pain of his chronic arthritis. Many have recorded his moves and posted them to YouTube.

but one day, Clifford was gone.

"And we just wondered what happened to Clifford," said Chris Arnell.

So when the 61-year-old showed up in town recently, Arnell decided to talk to him. He recorded a short video with Clifford, who had become homeless after losing his apartment when he couldn't pay rent one month.

From there, Clifford bounced around from Roseville to the Bay Area, then got stabbed at a homeless shelter.

Arnell posted the video to social media and asked for the community's help.

"We got a few small donations," he said.

Then CBS13 picked up the story.

"All of a sudden, I see this donation for like a grand," he said. "Then right after that, more kept coming in like $100 and $50 and $75."

As of Wednesday, the total pushed past $6,000.Clifford is thankful for the stranger who took a few minutes to ask him what happened. Now the Dancing Man is looking forward to the opportunity to get back on his feet again.

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