Elderly woman down to her last dollar pens heartfelt letter to restaurant staff after receiving free meal

Acts of kindness can mean the world to someone, especially during the holidays. For Black Sheep Burgers & Shakes in Springfield, Missouri, offering free meals on Christmas Day has become an annual tradition. This year, they extended their invitation with a Facebook post that read, “If you’re in need this holiday season, come and enjoy a burger on us Christmas Day 11-2. All we ask is that you bring your hearts so we can celebrate Christmas together!” The simple gesture left a lasting impression on an elderly woman, who later wrote a heartfelt letter thanking the restaurant, as reported by TODAY.

Her words moved the staff so deeply that they shared her note, hoping to find her and learn more about her story. The woman’s handwritten note began with, “A very heartfelt thank you for the kindness of you all! It would have been a very boring Christmas for me as I have no family left. I never thought of this years ago, but being the youngest in my family, I have seen everyone leave this Earth before me.” She shared more about her life, explaining that she has been living on social security benefits and had to downsize to a rented room in a shared house. “A dear friend heard about the offer of the free meal and invited me out for ‘Christmas lunch.’ Great idea since I was down to $1!” she wrote.

“The meal was wonderful, as were the staff. Thank you again for making it a day to remember! Blessings.” The note was unsigned and included no return address. Restaurant owner Mike Jalili decided to post the letter on Facebook in hopes of finding her.

“My name is Mike Jalili, and I’m wanting to invite her to our house for the holidays. This is the reason I’m trying to locate her,” Jalili explained in his post. He shared the overwhelming impact the letter had. “Something about this letter has touched so many people. The whole community is now looking for her,” he said, per the outlet. He added, “She is welcome to come and eat a burger on us whenever she wants. I’m determined to find her.” The story quickly garnered attention, with many people commending the owner's intentions.

Gail Germ Mac said, "Just coming to say [hi], another grandmother on SSI and barely surviving but from Foxboro, MA! I read about the beautiful letter and had to come like your page and say thank you! Just moved me how grateful she was for all of you!"

Shane Dunnie Dunham shared, "I've been to many restaurants in Springfield, 5 of us went on a Sunday, of course, right after church when it was frickin nuts. I've been in the service industry all my life, and I will never forget the staff there. They were above and beyond..a matter a fact, our waitress told us she was really hung over, but she never skipped a beat and had a beautiful personality along with all the employees who visited our table...so a note like this doesn't surprise me at all...whoever owns or runs this restaurant has done it right!"