Mom Tried To Pay Her Bill, But The Restaurant Refused To Take Her Money

For Nyesha Wingate, it was just a regular Thursday in July. The mom was enjoying breakfast at a restaurant with her young son. At first, there was nothing unusual about their outing. But when Nyesha tried to pay at the end of the meal, the waiter wouldn’t take her money. And he behaved in a way that left her speechless.

A regular mom

To anyone else in the restaurant, Nyesha would have seemed like a regular mom — just there to enjoy some food with her little boy. And in her mind, she was. Nyesha had grown up in San Bernardino, California, and had moved to Houston, Texas, to build a life with her husband.

Delicious treat

The couple had a son, Nehemiah, who was just one year old when Nyesha decided to stop off for breakfast at her local Cracker Barrel. Whether they ordered oatmeal or pancakes, it didn’t really matter, because it was what happened after breakfast that made the experience especially memorable.

Meaningful encounter

It would have been particularly stunning for Nyesha, too, because of her long-held personal belief system. She says that she was "called to the ministry" when she was just 17 years old and was ordained in her early 20s. The Houston resident then went on to found Charis Outreach Ministries and Nyesha Wingate Ministries. Clearly, then, she only wants to put positivity out into the world.

Encouraging interactions

Nyesha has stated online that she "has a passion to see the body of Christ walk in freedom." She explained that she wants others to "utilize all the tools given by the Holy Spirit to overcome the wiles of the enemy." The mother of one even teaches others how to use the Bible to overcome their struggles. So it would seem that all of her life experience had been leading up to this jaw-dropping moment in Cracker Barrel.

Hard work for a hard life

It's not like Nyesha has had an easy life, either. In 2018 the passionate mother wrote a book called The Hedge that described the hardships she has had to deal with in the past. The blurb explained how Nyesha was moved to write the book after "having overcome the death of a spouse, father, mother, child and also abuse." In fact, the title of the book is particularly resonant considering her experience in Cracker Barrel.

Her truth

The book tells us that "the word hedge [means] to mitigate a possible loss through counterbalancing." Ultimately, then, Nyesha wants to encourage her readers to live "a victorious" life. So it is especially meaningful that on this day at Cracker Barrel, the strange event would happen to the person whom it would most impact.

Something happening

As Nyesha and her son had finished their food, she was unaware that something odd was happening close by. Unbeknown to her, she had caught the eye of a stranger, and the mom’s ordinary day was about to take an extraordinary turn.

Going to pay

After Nyesha and her son had finished their meals, the mom prepared to pay. The waiter approached her table — and only then did she start to realize that something wasn’t quite right.

Confused

The waiter, it seemed, had a look on his face that Nyesha couldn’t quite understand. And his behavior got even more confusing. Yes, he had her check in his hands, but rather than handing it over, he did something completely unexpected.

Bizarre behavior

Nyesha no doubt expected the waiter to put the check on the table and give her time to get her money ready. But he didn’t. Instead, Nyesha’s server tore up the check — right before the mom’s very eyes. The restaurant, it seemed, didn’t want her money that day. But what on Earth had brought on this bizarre turn of events?

Mysterious man

Well, to add to Nyesha’s confusion, the waiter told the mom that their meals had already been paid for. Next, the gobsmacked Nyesha noticed a man approaching their table. And she had no idea who he was.

A tradesman?

The man walking toward the mom and her son was somewhat older. His hair was gray, and he wore a white T-shirt and pale pants that appeared to be smeared with dirt. Nyesha had never seen him before in her life, but as he got closer, she noticed something else about his appearance.

Up close

Seeing the man’s face up close, Nyesha noticed that he was emotional to the point of having tears in his eyes. Not understanding what was happening, Nyesha allowed the man to gain composure and to finally explain what was going on.

“Blessed”

When Nyesha heard what the man had to say, she was touched. And she posted about what happened on Facebook. “I was blessed this morning,” she wrote. “The waiter at Cracker Barrel came [and] ripped up my check and said, ‘This has been paid for!’ Then this amazing gentleman came up to me with tears in his eyes.”

Tension in the air

According to the Facebook post, the man had told Nyesha, “We really have to get over all this tension in America, and I have been looking for ways that I can put it into action.” The man was likely referring to several incidents across the U.S. that involved police and black citizens.

Solidarity

The kindly stranger, named only as Al, was looking for ways to reach out to his black neighbors to show his support during turbulent times. It dawned on him that a positive way to make a difference would be an act of kindness. And it left a large impression.

So grateful

Nyesha wrote, “I gave him the biggest hug and thanked him!” She couldn’t get over how he’d managed to put the testament of loving thy neighbor into action, continuing, “I was more blessed by his presence and conversation [than] the paid-for meal! Thanks, Al! May God bless America with more people like you!”

Let the kindness spread

Nyesha no doubt hopes that Al’s actions will inspire more kind deeds. And if she were to look, it wouldn’t take her too long to find another fellow mother on the receiving end of a random act of kindness. Like Nyesha, mom Jamie-Lynn Knighten had her child with her when a stranger decided to step in and make her day a bit easier.

Stranger's kind deed

While Nyesha's interaction was a showing of neighborly love, the kind deed Jamie-Lynne Knighten received subsequently shifted the course of her life. It all started when Jamie-Lynne pushed her cart with her newborn baby through the grocery. She had no idea she was about to have a bizarre run-in with a stranger that would shake her to her core.

Shopping with a baby

At the Trader Joe's in Oceanside, California Jamie-Lynne was weaving through the busy aisles with her five-month-old in tow. She was filling up her cart with items for the family, but the errand wasn't going as smoothly as she hoped. In fact, it quickly went from bad to worse.

Navigating a tantrum

Her worn-out infant was throwing a tantrum in the store. Between trying to calm him down and apologizing to other customers around them, Jamie-Lynne barely had time to scan the shelves for food she wanted!

Made it to checkout

Finally, the tired mom and kid made it to check out. With any luck, the line would move swiftly, and they could get home in a matter of minutes. Jamie-Lynne stepped up to the register and pulled out her credit card.

Problem with her card

Except for each time she swiped, the register declined her card! Realizing that the bank thought she was still traveling, Jamie-Lynne panicked. How was she going to pay for this huge grocery order?

Tap on the shoulder

Moments later, she felt a tap on her shoulder and whirled around to face a stranger. Without giving him a chance to speak, the stressed mom said she was sorry for the delay. The last thing she needed was a customer screaming, too.

Offered to pay

Except, scanning over Jamie-Lynne's $200 order, the customer — who introduced himself as Matthew Jackson — made a shocking offer. He said he would pay for her entire cart, though with one condition.

One key stipulation

Jamie-Lynne had to pay it forward and someday do the same for someone else in need. Grateful beyond belief, she accepted his generous proposition. The mom also insisted on jotting down Matthew's information, so she could pay him back.

Called his work

Matthew mentioned he worked at a nearby LA Fitness, so Jamie-Lynne called the gym the next day. When she asked for Matthew Jackson, however, all she heard on the other line was a sob.

Tragic accident

That sobbing came from Angela Lavinder, the manager of the LA Fitness. Once she took a moment to calm herself, Angela explained that Matthew wouldn't be able to meet. There had been an accident.

Car accident

Less than 24 hours after Matthew paid for the Knighten's groceries, his car had veered into a tree. Two passengers with him entered the hospital with severe injuries, but Matthew got the worst of the crash.

Died the same day

He died from the trauma shortly after. This news shook Jamie-Lynne to her core. Was it possible that the life of this Good Samaritan was snuffed out just moments after their brief meeting? She soon found out that his selflessness wasn't an isolated incident either.

History of kindness

Notably, Matthew and his mother traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, one summer. When he spotted a homeless man sitting alone on the sidewalk, Matthew jumped out of the car on a busy street to hand him a bottle of water.

Jamie-Lynn's pledge

It was so unfair, Jamie-Lynne thought, for this young man's bright future to be cut short. At the very least, however, she pledged to make good on her final promise to Matthew. She would pay it forward.

Matthew's legacy

So Jamie-Lynne went online and set up an organization called Matthew's Legacy. She asked all interested members to "please do something extraordinary for a stranger to honor #MatthewsLegacy and help restore faith in humanity."

Acts of kindness

Jamie-Lynne began sharing photos and stories of her family performing various acts of kindness. Soon, the number of members of Matthew's Legacy climbed into the thousands, and then the tens of thousands. Other people started submitting stories, too.

It caught on

People from all over the world posted themselves paying it forward, big and small experiences with kind strangers. Collectively, they were really making a difference in the world. This fact was not lost on Matthew's friends and family, either.

Perfect tribute

Nic Carlson, one of the passengers in Matthew's car during the fatal crash, saw it as a perfect tribute to his friend. Speaking to Matthew's special character, Nic said he "always wanted to make people feel better or fix a problem that they had."

An important lesson

For Jamie-Lynne, it was a cathartic experience to somehow pay back the kindness she received at such a vulnerable moment. Matthew's Legacy gave her a chance to teach her children the value of good deeds. They saw firsthand one little action can affect people.

His message lives on

While Matthew deserved more out of life, his legacy continues with the thousands of people living out the values that he stood for.