Kindness begets kindness. And this story is a perfect example of that.
Two firefighters, Paul Hillings and Tim Young, were in North Brunswick, New Jersey, responding to a warehouse fire. It took the team around 12 hours to get it under control, though, that by the time they went inside a diner in Route 130 in Delran for breakfast, they were already famished.
Their waitress at the time was Liz Woodward. While serving, she overheard the firefighters' conversation that she thought these guys certainly deserved a breather. Thus, she took it upon herself to pay for their meals. Not only that, she left a sweet note on the tab, thanking them for their courage and service.
Extremely touched by her kindness, Young posted a photo of the tab and the waitress's name on his Facebook. He encouraged friends to help the business by dining there. Also, to give a huge tip to Woodward in case she turns out to be their waitress.
But Young didn't stop there. He went on a little digging and discovered what Woodward has been doing all along: she's raising funds to buy a wheelchair van for his father who suffered from brain aneurysm since 2010 and has become quadriplegic. The vehicle would allow his father to move around and enjoy the outdoors more.
Initially, they wanted to purchase a vehicle that cost only $17,000. But when his father developed grand mal seizure recently-he's already been released from the hospital-she believed she needed something more wheelchair accessible and more expensive.
Young and Hillings didn't waste time helping Woodward. By sharing the page called Woodward Strong, they were able to raise the funds by as much as $56,000 from around $25,000. One even donated $5,000 to Woodward's cause.
Woodward couldn't contain her happiness and gratitude to the two firefighters, although she shared what she did wasn't a grand gesture but simple a quick decision. She reminded people too to always make a difference.
If you wish to donate, you can go here.
