Student thanks lunch lady who fed her PB&J sandwiches when she had nothing to eat, reveals its impact 41 years later

A woman recently shared how she still remembers the lunch lady who used to slip her peanut butter sandwiches on the days she couldn’t afford lunch. In a post shared on X, Keiti (@DontBotherKeiti) reflected on how that simple act of kindness has stayed with her for more than four decades. Shared on October 2, the post, which has gained over 565,000 views and 38,000 likes, began with Keiti recalling, "I still think about you. 41 years later. That's the impact the power of your compassion made on me. You inspired me to be a good human."

She attached a screenshot of her now-deleted post that read, "If you were ever a lunch lady in a small public elementary school in East Orange NJ in the early 80's & you snuck a small shy girl w/ blue eyes & bangs a peanut butter sandwich on the days she had no lunch $ — know I have loved u my entire life & hope you've been happy & healthy." In a follow-up comment, Keiti reminisced about the memory with a mix of warmth and vulnerability. She said she remembers the woman’s face, how "soft" and "pitying" her expression had been, and admitted that as a child, she sometimes couldn’t meet her eyes out of shame. "I've revisited that little girl a lot in therapy. I've tried my best to do right by her. Think I'm doing pretty good, all things considered," she wrote.

After the post went viral, she shared a follow-up, also deleted, revealing that the woman’s name was Charlene and that she had passed away. "And I'm so sorry, but the update is she's not here anymore. But her kindness is living through me, my son, and I'm sure countless others she touched in her life. My life was pretty rough in a lot of ways back then, her softness cut through a lot of pain for me. I've paid it forward," she wrote. "Send a shout-out prayer to her family, if you pray. I know there's no Heaven if she ain't up there. I know that for sure."

What Keiti described shows how a small act of care can help shape the person you become, and that is something researchers have also observed. A 2025 study published in Scientific Reports found that childhood experiences of warmth and care can have lasting effects well into adulthood. The study, which analyzed data from more than 200,000 adults across 22 countries, reported that people who experienced compassion and support when they were young were more likely to "promote good" later in life, by helping others, volunteering, or simply showing empathy in their relationships.

The post resonated deeply with readers who shared their own stories of childhood kindness and hardship. @ecolettenelson wrote, "This is an important story. Sometimes an adult just needs to solve the problem in front of them. I can't count the number of times I was punished at home because a school adult called a parent to express concern that I didn't have lunch money, my uniform blouse was dirty, etc." @JanetJoiner1954 shared, "Wish more people had been kind to me. As far back as I can remember, I was abused. Teachers at school, other kids' mothers, my parents, 4 brothers, 3 husbands. It's hard to remember good stuff, but once in a while I do. I stop talking to friends to spare them. Everything reminds me." @annapatriot23 added, "I was that poor, unkempt kid… many kind teachers inspired me to become a teacher and give back."

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