When New Jersey waitress Liz Woodward paid for firefighters Tim Young and Paul Higgins' meal on her overnight shift at the Route 130 Diner, she never anticipated what she would get in return. Woodward let the firefighters have their meal free of charge, leaving them a note of gratitude for their service in place of a bill. Young was warmed by the gesture, so he shared a picture of the note and recommended that people who got Woodward as a waitress should tip generously. When he found out Woodward had a GoFundMe campaign to buy her father a wheelchair-accessible van, he decided to repay her kindness.
Young shared Woodward's GoFundMe page on his Facebook and received an outpouring of help from his followers. Over 185 people, most of whom knew neither Young nor Woodward, donated to Woodward's cause to raise $38,000, over $20,000 more than the campaign's goal. Woodward expressed her gratitude for the response on Facebook and encouraged others to spread the kindness around.
On her Facebook page, Woodward wrote, "Look for those opportunities because they are everywhere. You can make a difference – it doesn't always have to be an elaborate production or effort – it's always the little things that have the greatest impact."