Homeless Opera Singer in Spotlight After LAPD’s Viral Video

A viral video by Los Angles Police Department of a homeless opera singer singing in a subway station has inspired a man to start a fundraiser to help her.

Emily Zamourka is not a trained singer but her voice often delights commuters in a metro subway station. A Los Angles Police Department (LAPD) officer noticed her singing and shot a video which the LAPD shared on its Twitter account.

“4 million people call LA home. 4 million stories. 4 million voices... sometimes you just have to stop and listen to one, to hear something beautiful,” wrote the LAPD on Sept. 26. Since then the video has been viewed almost a million times and reposted 4,500 times.

CNN affiliate KABC spoke to Zamourka, and learned that she’s been homeless for a couple of years.

Zamourka told the station that she’s a classically trained violinist and pianist and made a living as a street performer. She came to the United States from Russia when she was 24.

A man destroyed her violin three years ago and then she suffered a wrist injury that kept her from playing, KABC reported.

“That’s when I became homeless. When I could not actually pay any of my bills and could not pay any more of my rent,” she told the station.

She said that she had been sleeping on cardboard in a parking lot.

After the media picked up the viral video and her story, a man started a fundraiser on GoFundMe for the homeless 52-year-old that has raised over $46,000 in two days.

“The Downtown Women’s Center is ready to put Emily Zamourka up in a hotel tonight! I have spoken to them and any dollars raised from this will go to them assuming Emily wants their assistance.

“They will work to get her a violin and any other immediate housing she needs. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far!” said the fundraiser, Michael Trujillo.

Trujillo said he saw Zamourka’s story in the media and “felt inspired” to do something to help her.

“I have been in contact with ABC News so that every dollar will be used to help Emily get housing and back on her feet. The plan is to use the money to work with the United Way and LAHSA to ensure she gets any other services she may need in her transition,” wrote Trujillo.

Zamourka told the CNN affiliate that she likes to sing in the subway station because it “sounds so great.” She told KABC that the outpouring of support for her is a miracle.

A user on Twitter said she had heard Zamourka sing in the subway station. “I’ve seen her for years on the Metro. I heard her once singing ‘Ave Maria’ and thought it was a radio at first. Everyone has a story... this woman does too. I don’t know why she’s been homeless all these years, but she’s a human being... that’s all that matters,” said the user in response to the LAPD video.

The Little Italy of Los Angles Association has invited Zamourka to perform at a gathering on Saturday, according to a Facebook post by the association.

CNN Wire contributed to this report.