Teen staff paid for mom’s McDonald’s meal when she forgot her wallet — his kindness came back to him tenfold
'I don’t know how to put it into words because it’s just how crazy it was,' the teen said.
A simple act of kindness at a McDonald’s drive-thru turned into a life-changing moment for a teenager in Waynesville, Ohio. When a mother of three realized she had left her wallet at home after ordering food for her kids, a 16-year-old employee stepped in and paid the bill himself. The mom, Brittany Reed, later shared the story on Facebook, where it quickly went viral with more than 550,000 shares before getting deleted. She explained that they had just come from football practice for her son, her children were "crying for one reason or the other," and she was overwhelmed when she told the cashier she would have to cancel the order, as per the Daily Mail.
"Welp, now I wanted to cry. I look at the young man with tears in my eyes just from being stressed and annoyed and say, 'Hun, I am so sorry, but I have to cancel that order. I left my purse at home when we went to football tonight.'" Before she could pull away, the cashier, Wyatt Jones, pulled out his own wallet and paid for the food. Reed wrote that she was moved to tears by his response. "Without hesitation, he took out his own wallet and paid for our meal. I just want his parents to know how kind and compassionate your son was tonight. He made this stressed-out momma pause for a moment and realize this is exactly what we parents are trying to do: raise great humans. Well, Wyatt, sir, you are an amazing human!!!"
She tried to tell him she would go home and come back with money, but Wyatt refused. "I was like 'Wait, no hun it’s ok I will come back through,' then he replies 'no it’s totally fine, my pleasure.'" Eventually, Reed did return with cash to pay for the meal and more, though Wyatt struggled to accept it. Wanting to do something bigger for him, she created a GoFundMe page. Donations poured in immediately. By October 3, the campaign had raised more than $34,000, and it eventually surpassed $50,000. Wyatt, who had been hoping to buy a car, suddenly had the support to make that dream possible.
Research shows that these gestures often ripple further than people expect. The world’s largest study on kindness, The Kindness Test from the University of Sussex, surveyed more than 60,000 people and found that kind acts are both common and deeply tied to well-being. Most participants reported experiencing kindness in the past day, and two-thirds said the pandemic made communities kinder. The study reinforced that everyday gestures, even small ones, can leave a lasting emotional impact.
McDonald’s itself stepped in to honor him. The company held a special ceremony where Wyatt was recognized with McDonald’s gear, a longboard, and a proclamation making October 7 "Wyatt Jones Day" in Waynesville. Local station WCPO covered the celebration and reunion, where Wyatt reflected on how much the moment had grown. "I don’t know how to put it into words because it’s just how crazy it was," he said, adding, "It’s just a small act of kindness, and everything blew up, and it’s amazing to think that something like that can get you this far." Reed concluded, "Wyatt, do not let this world change your kind heart, young man, for it’s people like YOU that will change this world for the better!"
More on Scoop Upworthy
Share on Facebook
