Waitress Pays For 2 Firefighters’ Check & They Take Action To Return Kind Gesture

Apr 03, 2023 by apost team

When a waitress named Liz Woodward made the decision to pay the bill for two firefighters' breakfasts back in 2015, she hoped that her nice gesture would make their exhausting day a little bit brighter.

Firefighters and other workers such as policemen do their best every single day to help society and make the world a better and safer place. Woodward realized she could do something to show her appreciation, and hopefully, she'd make a small difference in the moods of the courageous firefighters that day. But she had no idea what would happen next! The firefighters from New Jersey took matters into their own hands and ended up changing the young woman’s life!

It was 5 a.m. when the firefighters walked into the diner where Woodward worked, and she quickly realized how exhausted they must have been from working through the night, as she remembered them asking for the largest cup of coffee that the diner had to offer.

It turned out that the two firefighters, who were both volunteers, had actually spent the majority of their night working on putting out a fire that broke out at a nearby warehouse, and they desperately needed a break, some coffee and some breakfast.

After the duo enjoyed their meal, the kind waitress brought over their check, where they found a surprise. She had written a kind note to them that thanked them for their service and all of the hard work they do and also informed them that she had taken care of the bill for them. 

The volunteer firefighters hadn't expected such a kind gesture from the waitress, and they were taken aback by her wonderful attitude and the favor she had done for them. They were so ecstatic about their treatment at the diner that they wrote about the experience on Facebook, where they shared a photo of the note Woodward had written them on their check. It read:

"Your breakfast is on me today — thank you for all that you do; for serving others and for running into the places everyone else runs away from. No matter your role, you are courageous, brave and strong ... thank you for being bold and bada** every day! Fueled by fire and driven by courage — what an example you are. Get some rest."

One of the firefighters, named Tim Young, told ABC News:

"Here's this waitress who's working a midnight shift, who knows how much tips she made that night. And she's throwing in, you know, her money for just a couple of regular guys."

After the firefighters posted about Woodward's kind gesture on Facebook, they learned some things about their wonderful waitress — no one expected her to have such a profound story to share. They found out that Woodward had been struggling with some things in her personal life, so the firefighters decided to return the kind gesture and do something heartfelt — something that ultimately would change her life forever. Young added:

"Here's this waitress who's just doing something so nice for us when she's really the one who needs the help." 

apost.com

It turned out that Woodward had been trying to raise money for a specialized van that would be able to transport her father, who is a quadriplegic. She hadn't even reached half of her goal, which was set at $17,000, but after the firefighters posted about her, the fundraiser quickly reached over $60,000. Woodward said:

"The fact that it's reached, you know, different states, different cities, it has spread across the world and I'm at a loss for words."

In total, $86,500 was raised from people all over the United States and overseas. Woodward thanked everyone on the GoFundMe page, where she wrote:

"Our family has witnessed an outpouring of love and support from around the world, and I want to thank each and every one of you beautiful human beings for making this dream possible!"

Woodward later updated that her family had been given a top-of-the-line van by Mobility Ventures, which specializes in paratransit vehicles. Woodward shared the news on her Facebook page and called the new vehicle "freedom" and "hope on wheels" for her parents.

What's more, Woodward and the two firefighters even found themselves on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," where Ellen DeGeneres spoke about how their stories inspired good deeds all around. That must have inspired the show too, as they partnered with Shutterfly and gave the firefighters five years of free meals at the Route 130 Diner, where Woodward works, as well as $20,000 for Woodward and her family to continue caring for her dad at home. 

This story shows how a small, kind gesture can have ripple effects that change many people's lives for the better. 

What do you think about Liz Woodward and the two firefighters' generosity? Can you remember the last time you did something kind for someone else? Let us know, and make sure to pass this along to your friends and family to inspire them too!