A man is thanking Ne-Yo and the Holbertson School for getting a job as a software engineer after experiencing homelessness.

Max Johnson’s has had a rough life after going back and forth between Nigeria and New Jersey and stopped thinking that he could go to college due to his upbringing and bout of medical issues, Black Enterprise reports

However, all was not lost for Johnson and he found the Holbertson School, “a project-based alternative to college for aspiring software engineers,” according to Black Enterprise, that wouldn’t have him pay tuition until he found a job as a software engineer. Johnson could not afford rent in San Francisco, which forced him to live in his car.

Ne-Yo, who serves as an investor in the Holberton School, found out about his story and with the help of the school and Scality, they raised funds for Johnson.

“Max didn’t give up for two very important reasons. One, Max’s spirit and two, the Holberton approach. Max is one of those people who has the spirit of a champion. The drive, grit, and other personal qualities that enable them to persevere through adversity. He is the real MVP,” Ne-Yo told Black Enterprise. “Any employer is lucky to hire employees with these personal attributes because they translate so well into workplace success.”

Johnson said that giving up wasn’t an option for him because life is too short and as long as he was alive, he’d go toward his goals.

“I didn’t want to go back to what I was doing before. Hopefully, one day I will have a family and I don’t want them to grow up struggling because I can’t provide,” he told Black Enterprise.