Fort Pierce man goes viral, captures internet with his unique garden

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — Corey Paul, a father of six, stood in the backyard of his seafoam green single family home in Fort Pierce as he discussed his new-found internet fame.

A photo of him in his urban garden is circulating on Reddit, one of the most-used social media platforms in the world. That photo was posted to Reddit by a member of the Fort Pierce Connection.

"Once I found the post it was like at 7,000 likes or whatever," Paul said. "Couple minutes later, I went back and it was at 15. I was like whoa."

With his internet fame in full harvest, he’s using his new-found fame to encourage young African Americans in urban areas of Fort Pierce to invest their time in things other than crime, like gardening.

"When people look at me, they’re like he’s into gardening? Yeah, I love it," Paul said. "It’s all about directing your path in the right way, instead of the wrong way. You could look a certain way, but be productive and be a stand-up citizen in society."

When Paul said when he first started gardening, it was just a hobby. He had no clue what he was doing.

But after countless days and hours, he got the swing of it. Now, he hopes his passion will inspire kids in the community, in his own backyard.

As his cabbage, collard greens and tomatoes grow, Paul hopes to lead by example because he grew up seeing the good and the bad.

"It’s a new found passion for me and I know I have the green thumb," he said.