It doesn’t cost a thing to offer to do something nice for a stranger, and sometimes, that kind deed ends up meaning more than you could ever know.
Joyce Rhinehart of Upper Arlington, Ohio, was taking her grandson, Blake, out for ice cream after his tennis lesson one June day. She spotted a family of four happily eating their custard cones, and on the spur of the moment, she asked if she could take their picture. It would end up meaning the world to that unknown family.
Facebook
As it turns out, this would be the last picture ever taken of all four family members.
As Joyce explained on Facebook, she often takes photos for strangers, particularly when she’s on vacation. After snapping the photo, she gave her mobile phone to the young daughter and had her text the image to the family’s phone. She didn’t think anything of it after that, until a few weeks later when she received a text message from an unknown number.
Facebook
It was Father’s Day, and one grateful dad decided to reach out to Joyce to tell her how monumental that simple photograph was for his family. He wrote:
“Dear madam, you took our picture in front of Rita’s on June 8th. My wife has passed away yesterday and this is the last picture we have together as a family. Please accept my deepest gratitude for your kindness, it means the world to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Facebook
Joyce later found out that the man’s wife had been sick for the past year, and having one last picture to capture their family during a happy moment meant more than words can say. Joyce shared this story on Facebook along with an important reminder to “never underestimate the simple act of random kindness.”
Share this message to spread the word about finding small ways to help others every day!
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.