BEAUMONT, Texas — One Beaumont man received the opportunity of a lifetime while working at the Waffle House on Dowlen Rd.
A couple of artists that participated in Beaumont's Mural Fest were inspired by 32-year-old Dashawn Smith and used his likeness for a mural.
The two painters approached Smith while he was working at the Waffle House in February 2024.
Smith is the mystery man painted in the mural on the back of the Giglio Distributing Company in downtown Beaumont. He was excited to see himself in the mural.
"I seen it and I was just so happy," said Smith.
Smith moved to the Beaumont area as a child and has been working at the Waffle House for three months. He soon met two painters from Spain that changed his life.
"I moved from Riverhead, New York at the age five and been here since the age of ten," he said. "One of the guys actually showed me a picture of what they did, I was amazed. They told me how can I be apart and if I wanted to and I said absolutely."
One week later, artists Sebas Velasco and Jose Velou were taking Smith's picture to create the masterpiece.
"We were at the food place and we were like man this guy has attitude," said Velasco.
Smith was inspired when he saw the completed mural.
"When I look at that picture I see dedication, I see compassion, I see someone that's driven," said Smith.
He hopes that the experience will open more doors for modeling in the future.
"Honestly I keep being in the right place at the right time," he said. "Beaumont may be the place for me and I feel like this is my good luck charm."
For now, he is happy to share the joy of the opportunity with his family and his customers.
"They are very proud of me," he said. "I was actually on the grill the other day and this woman was like, I think I have your picture in my phone. She was like can I take a picture with you and I was stoked about that."
For anyone wanting to take a picture with Smith, he will be leaving next month to take a trucking job in Dallas, but he has plans to come back for a visit.
Velasco and Velou will be featuring Smith again in their art gallery back home in Spain in the future.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.