A local vet has been nominated for CNN’s Hero Of The Year Award! Kwane Stewart was working as a veterinarian at a Modesto animal shelter and was upset with the euthanasia process he almost quit the veterinary profession altogether. But a coffee stop at a local 7-Eleven would change it all.
He found an unhoused veteran outside a 7-Eleven with his dog who was in bad shape, so he offered help. The dog recovered remarkably and the man was just so grateful. With tears in his eyes, he looked at Kwane and said, ‘Thank you, thank you for not ignoring me.”
That’s when Kwane realized he couldn’t quit. “At that moment, I said, 'I'm going to help more people like this and more people like this dog.”
For years, he’s spent his free time walking the poorest parts of California, treating the pets of the unhoused. In 2015, he moved to San Diego and continued his mission on the streets of the East Village.
Then in 2020, he founded the nonprofit Project Street Vet. Now he has a group of volunteer vets and nurses who share his mission and help him provide care all across the U.S. which has led to his nominated for CNN Hero Of The Year. Kwane is one of 10 finalists. The winner will be announced on Sunday. Voting is still open - CLICK HERE to vote and learn more about Kwane's story!