Woman shattered as her retired high school science teacher shows up at her door — as a DoorDash driver

On a day already filled with meaning, Loreiny Penalo got a surprise she will never forget. It was January 31, the birthday of Penalo’s late father. As part of her annual tradition, she had ordered Dominican food to honor him. When she opened the door to receive her DoorDash delivery, she found herself face-to-face with someone who looked familiar. It took a moment to place him. "He looked familiar, but I had never seen him without the eye patch he used to wear," Penalo told PEOPLE. Then he spoke, introducing himself as her former high school science teacher. It was Wilmer Melendez. The realization hit her immediately, with all those memories of chemistry class flooding her mind.

Melendez, now 69, retired in 2013 after more than 38 years of teaching, though much of his work in Puerto Rico did not count toward his full retirement. He shared with Penalo that he had taken up DoorDash to help pay for his son’s engineering degree. He explained, "I used my credit cards to cover some of his tuition costs in the past and still have that debt to pay off." His son, who still has over a year left in the program, had already taken breaks from school to work and help pay tuition. Penalo had her own education. "Seeing him work through his retirement broke my heart. I instantly wanted to hug him and ask for a picture," she said.

The moment was deeply personal, and Penalo did not plan to share it publicly. However, the more she reflected on their exchange, the more compelled she felt to share with others the story of the teacher who had once inspired her and was now humbly providing for his family by delivering food. A generous tip didn’t feel like enough. She posted about the encounter on her TikTok, where she goes by @loreinypac, not expecting the response it would receive. Messages of support flooded in, along with encouragement to do more. Penalo decided to launch a GoFundMe campaign for Melendez, which raised over $41,000 within one week.

Melendez admitted he didn’t fully grasp what was happening at first. "She was so nervous to share the news, but I didn’t really understand what GoFundMe was or what was going on. It wasn’t until they showed me the page and explained it a few times that I got it. I was so shocked, confused, happy, and grateful to God," he said. It was a powerful reminder of the lasting impact teachers have, even decades after students leave their classrooms. "He recognized me immediately. He said my face hadn’t changed," Penalo recalled.

She remembered his passion for chemistry, how he talked excitedly about the subject to anyone who would listen, and how much it meant to her to have a Latino science teacher who genuinely cared about his students. Penalo also took a moment to recognize educators more broadly. She said, "Teachers shape the future by educating our children—yet their pay doesn’t reflect their impact on the next generation. My sister is a teacher, and I know the dedication that she puts into her work." Though Melendez continues to drive for DoorDash to help cover tuition and retirement costs, the support he received through Penalo’s campaign has given him some much-needed relief.

You can follow Loreiny Penalo (@loreinypac) on TikTok for health-related content.