A Heartwarming and Karma-Inspired Story of Giving Back to the Disabled and the Community
Before we get started on this heartwarming story, we'd like to take a brief look back at the 1994 movie It Could Happen to You starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. Loosely based on real-life events, this nineties rom-com highlights the tale of a beat cop who offers his favorite waitress a share of his potential lottery winnings in lieu of a tip. Short on cash during a regular visit to the diner where she worked, his numbers come in and it changed both of their lives in the process.
In reality, Hollywood took this tale and twisted it around a great deal and turned a random act of kindness (RAK) and a promise kept into a love story that never happened in the first place. In real life (IRL), yes, the office hit the jackpot, and yes he shared his winnings with the waitress, but that was pretty much the end of their story together according to experts in the entertainment industry.
A Heartwarming Story from the Real World
This real-world tale grabs karma by the hand and results in a heartwarming story given somewhat similar circumstances. In this case, we fast-forward a bit and find ourselves in New Jersey circa July 2015. At this time, there was a warehouse fire raging all night in North Brunswick, NJ not far from where Liz Woodward was waiting tables at the Route 130 Diner in the nearby upstate Deltran community.
Early the next day, a pair of exhausted firefighters, Paul Hullings and Tim Young stopped at this restaurant for breakfast after an evening of back-breaking work. At the end of their meal, instead of presenting them with a bill, Liz offered them this heartfelt note scrawled on her waitress pad:
"Your breakfast is on me today. Thank you for all that you do, for serving others and for running into places where others run away from. No matter your role, you are courageous, brave, and strong. Thank you for being bold and badass every day. Fueled by fire, driven by courage, what an example you are. GET SOME REST!"
The Beginnings of a Viral Sensation
In itself, this is a heartwarming story that lights a fire underneath even the coldest of hearts, however, the tale doesn't end there. The firefighters were so impressed by her kind gesture, Tim Young decided to share a snapshot of her note on social media and his post quickly became a viral sensation online. Soon he was contacted by the media who informed him that Liz had started a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising funds for her disabled father. She was seeking contributions to purchase her dad a wheelchair-accessible van and assist with his ongoing medical expenses.
Karma Comes Around Full Circle
Given the comradery and even competitive nature of local and nationwide EMT workers, police, and firefighters, these emergency responders came together to answer the call for aid to Woodward's woos. Everyone working together including citizens was able to amass over $80,000 in assistance for Liz and her father in a true example of kindness, karma, and paying it forward.
After these donations poured in by the tens of thousands, an appearance on a popular, daytime, daily talk show brought more fuel to the fire with a check from Shutterfly for an additional $20,000 towards this worthwhile cause. It's easy to see at this point that one good turn deserves another. RKA and karma are their own reward, but sometimes they go the extra mile.
What a great ending to a wonderful tale! And finally, for the best bet and most reliable wheelchair vans and other vehicles on the marketplace today, be sure to stop by and check out the regularly updated and ever-changing inventory here at AMS (America's Mobility Superstore). You'll find the best numbers, the greatest deals, and more from our stock of new and used vehicles to safely transport you to your destination.