Sometimes, an act of kindness from a random stranger can mean more than any other words of encouragement could. One woman found this to be true when she received a kind note from a Chick-fil-A employee she did not know, but who clearly saw something special in her.
A mom shared the touching note she received from a Chick-fil-A employee.
Jess Hilyard is a TikTok content creator and mom of two from Arizona. Typically, Hilyard shares videos showing glimpses into her life as a mother. Recently, however, she shared a different kind of video that received one million views.
In the video, Hilyard can be seen sitting in her car practically sobbing. “A Chick-fil-A employee randomly handed this to me not knowing I’ve been having a hard time,” the text on the video read. She then showed a note the size of a postcard that she was given by an employee at the fast food chain. The top of the note had the text “Just wanted to say…” with space underneath for an employee to write their own note. In this case, he said, “You are doing such a good job with those kids!”
The note also included the text “From your friend at Chick-fil-A:” with a line to write one’s name on. It was signed by an employee named Malachi. After displaying the note, Hilyard added, “You’re an angel.” In the caption of the video, she tagged Chick-fil-A and said, “I hope I can find him to thank him for this … This is the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for me.”
The kind Chick-fil-A employee saw the mom’s video.
As if Malachi’s act of kindness wasn’t sweet enough on its own, it turned out that he actually saw the video and was able to connect with Hilyard in the comments. A TikToker whose username was simply MJL commented on the video and said, “Hey, that was me! I’m Malachi who wrote the message! So glad I could make a difference in your life.”
Hilyard couldn’t believe her video had found its way to the very man who made a world of difference for her. “MALACHI,” she replied, “you’re so sweet, thank you!! This meant the whole world to me.” Malachi responded to her thanks with a classic Chick-fil-A answer. “It was truly my pleasure!” he said, saying the same thing employees are trained to say when a customer thanks them.
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The absolute love fest in the comments section didn’t stop there, though. Some of Malachi’s loved ones also left comments on the video. “Malachi is my son,” a woman with the username MizzesFoster said. “I know that handwriting anywhere! He also shared this post with me. Your tears make me tear up … often as the parent of two amazing sons, there’s (sic) times when I’m unsure if I did my best.”
Hilyard assured her that she did. “You raised a wonderful man, mama!” she said. “He truly made an impact in my life!”
Malachi’s boyfriend, who goes by the name Carmine on the app, also left a comment. “This is my amazing boyfriend!!” he said. “Been with him almost a year now and he continues to amaze me by the kindness and compassion he has for others. So glad you got to experience his beautiful words!”
Random acts of kindness go beyond just the recipient.
Obviously, kindness from a stranger can have a huge impact on the person receiving it. In this case, Hilyard got the message she so desperately needed at just the right time. But, Malachi likely benefitted from this experience as well.
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The American Psychiatric Association shared that a University of Ohio study found that those with depression and anxiety noticed a reduction in symptoms after participating in random acts of kindness.
It seems like Malachi’s kindness not only affected Hilyard’s life, but many others as well.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
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