Mother wouldn't leave until her blinds were dusted

Qualcomm Stadium:

Ying Huang arrived in San Diego on Sunday night after a cross-country flight. The Harvard Law School student had a week of local job interviews scheduled.

By 5 p.m. Monday, her family knew they would have to leave their Carmel Valley home. But Ying's mother, Yali Huang, was worried about leaving her house dirty.

"I couldn't believe it. My mom was hurrying through the house cleaning and dusting the blinds," Ying Huang said. "We finally convinced her that coming back to a dirty house would be a good thing."

The family arrived at Qualcomm Stadium at 9 p.m. Monday and slept on donated cots and bedding.

"It's been a crazy week," Ying Huang said. "I brought my interview suits. But I won't be needing them on this trip. My interviews have been rescheduled."

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Earl Sanders looked out of a broken down car he called home and saw the mountain above Spring Valley on fire.

Sanders, disabled and homeless for about a year, grabbed his cane and belongings, which were shoved inside a trash bag. He put both in a shopping cart and walked to a nearby McDonald's.

"I had to evacuate, but I had no transportation and no money," he said. "I slept on the sidewalk in front of McDonald's and asked God what he had planned for me."

About 9 a.m. Tuesday, a good Samaritan gave him $5, enough for a bus ride to Grossmont Center in La Mesa and trolley fare to Qualcomm Stadium.

There, Sanders, 48, was given a meal, a change of clothing, a cot and bedding.

"God is working it out for me,'' he said, tears streaming down his face. "I was sleeping in a car last night. I will be sleeping in a bed tonight."

"It's bad being homeless," Sanders said. "But it's also sad to see people lose their homes and valuables. There's always somebody worse off than me."

-- H.G. Reza