US waitress gets $3,000 tip from kind customer
His bill at the restaurant came up to US$43.50 (S$57.50).
But his tip was 70 times that - $3,000.
A regular customer at a restaurant in New York City left the struggling waitress that huge sum as well as a handwritten note on the back of the receipt.
He wrote: "My teacher in middle school had such a difficult experience a few years ago which has sparked me to do this.
"Thank you for being around for all of my shows off and on Broadway. I hope that one day someone gives as much love and happiness into the world as you do."
ABC News in the US interviewed the generous tipper, who wanted to be known only as Mike.
“This woman had been serving us for almost a year now. She’s a lovely individual, and she talked about how she was served an eviction notice last month,” Mike said.
"She really needed it and has been so happy since then, so I feel I did the right thing."
Mike's generosity was part of the ReesSpecht Life foundation, a pay-it-forward movement started by teacher Ray Specht after the tragic death of his 22-month-old son.
Mike asked the waitress to visit theReesSpecht website and also asked that she did not "let 'Pay it Forward' end with you".
"I just had also been constantly thinking about for quite some time my teacher's project and this foundation, and I thought it was an appropriate time," Mike said.
"She said she was going to devote herself to the foundation and continue to pay it forward."
Mike says that the tip was a great way to honor his former teacher, who started the foundation.
"I met Mr. Specht in eighth grade -- I was his science student - and he's an incredible human being. To see something so horrible happen to him... it doesn't surprise me that he would start a foundation out of something so horrible that would just continue to keep good around and to keep wonderful things going," Mike said.
"It was heart-wrenching for me to see it happen. I had been trying to pay it forward and this was just a big opportunity for me to be able to honour someone that's so wonderful."
The big tip of $3000 might not last long in the exorbitant Manhattan rental market, but the lucky waitress has vowed to keep the charitable vibes flowing.
Mike said the waitress has said she was "going to devote herself to the foundation and continue to pay it forward".
Source: ABC News
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