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Struggling Single Mom Gets A Message From A Complete Stranger, And Things Escalate Quickly
Many single moms are singled out for the incredible effort they put into raising their children. But that doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from a little help. Recently, Billie from Florida was approached by a complete stranger online, offering to buy school supplies for her son. The Good Samaritan, however, had a few conditions.
“My son is 7 and headed into second grade,” Billie told Bored Panda. “It’s always been just me and him, so I’ve been a single mom for 7 years. I have 4 jobs and I am also a full-time student so not much time for dating, lol.”
“Of course it’s difficult, it is intended to be a two person job,” she added. “We honestly wouldn’t make it without family, friends, and the kindness of strangers.”
This time, however, the circumstances were a bit different. “She found me in a mom group, I’ve posted there for advice a few times.”
At first, everything sounded a little suspicious. “I was a bit cautious of course,” the mother said. “I stalked her online and made sure she wasn’t an axe murderer.”
Billie thinks that this experience has taught her son an immeasurable lesson, one that she wouldn’t be able to construct on her own. “I owe this woman so much. I hope this story helps other people want to do more kind things, just to do them.”
Scroll down to check out their exchange and learn how the story unfolded!
RELATED:
Recently, a single mom was approached by a complete stranger online
Image credits: sturti (not actual photo)
“This woman messaged me. She found me in a mom group, I’ve posted there for advice a few times. I didn’t know her at all”
“I opened the boxes today. All of my sons school supplies and some extras. A new pair of shoes, which is awesome cuz im super thrifty and hardly ever buy brand new things. He is gonna be super excited”
People said this story restored their faith in humanity
What do you think ?
Ladies and Gentlemen 7 years ago
Remember Paying it forward doesn't mean something similar or something big, even the smallest things in this world can make big impact on someone else life. Just do it.
Carol Emory 7 years ago
I worked at a propane company in Washington State. There is a couple that comes in every winter and pays for the propane of a family that desperately needs it. It just so happened that on this particular visit, our manager got an emotional phone call from a woman who was a single mother, low on propane (the way the family heated the house) and broke from losing her job a few months earlier when tourist season ended. I heard the squeals of joy when my manager contacted her and told her the truck would be out that afternoon to fill her tank. You never know how just supplying everyday things can help someone who desperately needs it.
Bored Fox 7 years ago
Both my mom and dad were school teachers here in Finland. One day my dad found a Russian family who was visiting our country. Their car was broken. My dad knew some Russian language and he helped that family to fix their car. The family explained that they were quite poor and they lived near the border of Finland so the car trip to Finland was always one of their highlights every year. My dad asked about the school (because he was a teacher) and when the Russian kids told how bad the school supplies situation was in Russia, my father took them to his school and gave them plenty of school supplies (notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, etc) for free (he paid for the school later). The Russian family was very thankful and next year they visited Finland they brought to my dad plenty of candy and other delicious foods from Russia. :)
FABULOUS1 7 years ago
My daughter lost her wallet one day with her ID, cards, some pictures and what little money she had to her name. We intended on going to the DMV that week to get her a new ID, but received a surprise in the mail that day. Someone had found her wallet and left a note with a 100 bill inside telling her to do something nice for herself but to pay it forward one day. Reading this story made me tear up and it restores some of my faith in humanity. It is free to be kind to someone, even if they are not kind back. it is free to hold the door open or just smile at someone.
Bridget Wright 7 years ago
A friend of mine is going through some really tough medical problems right now. She wouldn't let us raise money for her, she has a really hard time accepting help. She is a single mother. An anonymous person donated some money recently and she has been trying to figure out who. I told her: maybe someone did something nice for him/her before, and this is their way of thanking that person. Like a "pay it forward" thing. Stop making yourself crazy over it, and when you get better, do something for someone else in need.
Agnes Jekyll 7 years ago
can we retire the expression "escalate quickly"? especially as this does not apply at all to this situation.
danielw 7 years ago
yeah. I thought some guy used the school supplies as a pick up line. :\
Load More Replies...
PBMc 7 years ago
I hate being, "that person". You know, the one who brings politics into a non-political story. Sometimes though, you can do it to show life is much more than politics. This is the kind of story I like. Most people are pretty decent. It doesn't matter if they are right or left, straight or gay, rich or poor, a lot of people will go out of their way to help others. Who knows how these people identify, ideologically? It didn't matter to them. One knew another could use some help and the other appreciated the assistance. When we look at each other as individuals, we find people are pretty great. When we lump them into groups is when our biases start to take over. Too many people live their lives as, us against them. In reality, there is only, us. Good for these folks.
Phillip Moderow 7 years ago
I agree with one exception: SMOKERS. In my lifetime, I've found them, generally, to be THE most selfish, thoughtless people on the face of the earth. Nothing says more about a person than when they light up. They're the people pumping gas with one hand and puffing a cigarette with the other. They're in the car next to you on the freeway, weaving in and out of traffic with a cancer stick bobbing up and down between their lips. They're Respiratory Therapists who don't believe much in their job when they spend their lunch break outside instead--rain, shine or blizzard.
Load More Replies...
Elizabeth Lord Cary 7 years ago
There are so many wonderful people in this world, I needed to read this today.
Mark Fuller 7 years ago
Wow. When I read the headline I assumed "escalation" in the negative sense. But that's absolutely beautiful. Not life changing, but simple, kind, thoughtful and so, so powerful. One minute you read a post on Bored Panda about r******d trolls ruining lives online, then something like this makes you realise how wonderful people can be.
Ladies and Gentlemen 7 years ago
Remember Paying it forward doesn't mean something similar or something big, even the smallest things in this world can make big impact on someone else life. Just do it.
Carol Emory 7 years ago
I worked at a propane company in Washington State. There is a couple that comes in every winter and pays for the propane of a family that desperately needs it. It just so happened that on this particular visit, our manager got an emotional phone call from a woman who was a single mother, low on propane (the way the family heated the house) and broke from losing her job a few months earlier when tourist season ended. I heard the squeals of joy when my manager contacted her and told her the truck would be out that afternoon to fill her tank. You never know how just supplying everyday things can help someone who desperately needs it.
Bored Fox 7 years ago
Both my mom and dad were school teachers here in Finland. One day my dad found a Russian family who was visiting our country. Their car was broken. My dad knew some Russian language and he helped that family to fix their car. The family explained that they were quite poor and they lived near the border of Finland so the car trip to Finland was always one of their highlights every year. My dad asked about the school (because he was a teacher) and when the Russian kids told how bad the school supplies situation was in Russia, my father took them to his school and gave them plenty of school supplies (notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, etc) for free (he paid for the school later). The Russian family was very thankful and next year they visited Finland they brought to my dad plenty of candy and other delicious foods from Russia. :)
FABULOUS1 7 years ago
My daughter lost her wallet one day with her ID, cards, some pictures and what little money she had to her name. We intended on going to the DMV that week to get her a new ID, but received a surprise in the mail that day. Someone had found her wallet and left a note with a 100 bill inside telling her to do something nice for herself but to pay it forward one day. Reading this story made me tear up and it restores some of my faith in humanity. It is free to be kind to someone, even if they are not kind back. it is free to hold the door open or just smile at someone.
Bridget Wright 7 years ago
A friend of mine is going through some really tough medical problems right now. She wouldn't let us raise money for her, she has a really hard time accepting help. She is a single mother. An anonymous person donated some money recently and she has been trying to figure out who. I told her: maybe someone did something nice for him/her before, and this is their way of thanking that person. Like a "pay it forward" thing. Stop making yourself crazy over it, and when you get better, do something for someone else in need.
Agnes Jekyll 7 years ago
can we retire the expression "escalate quickly"? especially as this does not apply at all to this situation.
danielw 7 years ago
yeah. I thought some guy used the school supplies as a pick up line. :\
Load More Replies... PBMc 7 years ago
I hate being, "that person". You know, the one who brings politics into a non-political story. Sometimes though, you can do it to show life is much more than politics. This is the kind of story I like. Most people are pretty decent. It doesn't matter if they are right or left, straight or gay, rich or poor, a lot of people will go out of their way to help others. Who knows how these people identify, ideologically? It didn't matter to them. One knew another could use some help and the other appreciated the assistance. When we look at each other as individuals, we find people are pretty great. When we lump them into groups is when our biases start to take over. Too many people live their lives as, us against them. In reality, there is only, us. Good for these folks.
Phillip Moderow 7 years ago
I agree with one exception: SMOKERS. In my lifetime, I've found them, generally, to be THE most selfish, thoughtless people on the face of the earth. Nothing says more about a person than when they light up. They're the people pumping gas with one hand and puffing a cigarette with the other. They're in the car next to you on the freeway, weaving in and out of traffic with a cancer stick bobbing up and down between their lips. They're Respiratory Therapists who don't believe much in their job when they spend their lunch break outside instead--rain, shine or blizzard.
Load More Replies... Elizabeth Lord Cary 7 years ago
There are so many wonderful people in this world, I needed to read this today.
Mark Fuller 7 years ago
Wow. When I read the headline I assumed "escalation" in the negative sense. But that's absolutely beautiful. Not life changing, but simple, kind, thoughtful and so, so powerful. One minute you read a post on Bored Panda about r******d trolls ruining lives online, then something like this makes you realise how wonderful people can be.
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