Mystery Donor Pays for Illinois Firefighters' Groceries in Random Act of Kindness
The firefighters had to leave the store twice for ambulance calls.
— -- A routine trip to the grocery store for two firefighters turned into a memorable surprise.
Ryan Klavohn and another firefighter were picking up groceries for the day in Bolingbrook, Illinois, when they got an ambulance call and had to leave their cart behind Wednesday morning, Klavohn told ABC News today.
They transported a patient and made their way back to the store. The two men were up by the cash register when a second ambulance call came in and they once again had to leave the store – and their cart full of groceries – behind.
“It’s not uncommon that we have to leave and come back but by now it was our third time there,” he said. “We went to pick up the groceries and they told us someone paid for all of them. After being confused for quite a few minutes, we saw a very nice note.”
The note said it was the anonymous donor’s “pleasure” to pick up the firefighters grocery tab (about $50), and the person thanked them for what they do.
Klavohn called it an unexpected random act of kindness because, normally, he and his fellow firefighters are the ones giving back to the community.
“It’s not only surprising and humbling, but the fact that someone took their hard-earned money and spent it on us is inspiring,” he said.
Klavohn, 31, said he and his fellow firefighters at the Bolingbrook Fire Department are trying to take the message of kindness from the unknown person and spread it by continuing to help their community.
“We are so thankful to whoever this was,” he said. “It’s just a testament to the great people in our community that we have the privilege to serve.”