A teenage waitress’s kind gesture for an elderly customer has inspired thousands — and now there’s a new twist in the story.
It all started when Evoni Williams, 18, met Adrien Charpentier, a 78-year-old man who was struggling to cut his food while eating at a Waffle House in Texas.
Williams, who saw Charpentier’s plight, offered to help cut up the meal for him. Meanwhile, another customer who was moved by her kindness decided to snap a photo.
That picture went viral and inspired countless others, leading one university to grant Williams a scholarship, KVUE-TV reported.
Texas Southern University gave Williams a $16,000 scholarship, which will allow her to fulfill her dream of attending college to study business management. She was brought to tears this week when the school presented the stunning gift.
Williams was also honored by La Marque Mayor Bobby Hocking, who issued a day of honor for her service.
In the end, Williams said that her caring decision to help cut Charpentier’s food was nothing special and that she’d do it any day.
“It’s something I would do any other day,” she told KVUE-TV. “He was like, ‘My hands are not functioning too well.’ He needed me to cut his food. And I did.”
Laura Wolf, the woman who snapped the picture, told the outlet that the restaurant was very busy when Williams decided to step in and help.
“It was so busy in here, and she actually took the time to stop and hear what he had to say instead of walking past him,” she said. “That just meant something to me.”
What an amazing story. A simple act of kindness changes everything.
(H/T: KVUE-TV)