American kindness is not a lost culture after all. In 2013, Sarah Hoidahl proved that there are still kind, good people out there when she helped two women from the National Guard who couldn’t afford their meals.
As Sarah was struggling herself, she went out on a limb to help the women. In turn, she got some good karma as she got nationwide recognition, celebrity love, and more money than she ever thought she would.

Sarah Hoidahl, who was a 21-year-old in 2013, is a single mother of a little boy. She was working as a waitress at the local Ruby Tuesday on Loudon Road in Concord.
As a young single mother, she was working hard to take care of her then-18-month-old baby.
Therefore, every shift, every hour, and every dollar counts for her.

When Sarah clocked in for work on that fateful day, she didn’t expect it to be the day her life would change forever. She overheard two women who came in to eat complaining about not having funds to cover their meals.
Both women were from the National Guard, and they were not getting paid due to some government issues.

After Sarah overheard the two women, she felt really bad for them. Therefore, she thought to help them out by paying for their meal. Although it was more than her paycheck for the day, the waitress covered the bill for them.
Instead of going back to them with their nearly $30 bill, she gave them a note, thanking them for their service and telling them that she had paid.

Without a doubt, the two women were very surprised and pleased. They had not expected such a kind gesture from the waitress and couldn’t stop thanking her.
In their excitement, they put up a post on Facebook with the note Sarah gave them. Before long, their post racked up thousands of likes from people across the country.

One Facebook user commented on the post, “On behalf of an ex-military (USMC), thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and kindness!” Another wrote, “If the government won’t help our troops, then we must step up and act. Kudos to Sarah!”
The National Guard and Ruby Tuesday also posted Sarah’s thoughtful gesture on their pages, applauding her selfless act.

Sarah’s good act made several headlines and caught the attention of celebrities all over the country. One in particular was Ellen DeGeneres, who was interested in Sarah’s story.
The philanthropist, who is popular for spreading kindness, was pleased when she saw the story and decided to have Sarah on her show. Therefore, she invited her to feature as a guest.

Sarah went as a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and her life changed for the better. “You’re a good person,” Ellen said, welcoming her with a warm hug.
She recounted the story, saying, “It just got me thinking, ‘geez, that’s really difficult. I’m a waitress and a single mother. I know how it is.” Furthermore, she revealed that after she paid for their meal, she only had $8 left with her.

Ellen then asked her assistant, Andy, to bring her checkbook. On the spot, the talk show host signed a check for $10,000 to Sarah! She also asked if she watched her show but Sarah said she couldn’t afford to fix the one she had.
Ellen, in her good nature, gifted her a brand-new TV as well!

$10,000 was more than enough to give Sarah a brand new life. In fact, she was so happy that she kept shedding tears throughout the show.
As a single mother who was struggling to make ends meet, she could now use this money to take care of herself and her child. She could also start to look at other options than waiting tables.

After the interview, Sarah thought that was the end of it all. However, what she didn’t know was that Ellen was keeping up with her. The talk show host wanted to make sure she was okay and had another gift for her.
She pranked her during an interview and surprised her with a key to a brand-new car! To say Sarah was happy is an understatement!

The mother of one is indeed a real-life angel. Before she got the new car from Ellen, she had intended to get a car for herself and her mother.
Her nature is to give, just like how she helped the women from the National Guard. “My heart goes out to military families struggling to make ends meet,” Sarah told WUMR recently. “My bills don’t stop if my income does, and I know it’s the same for these brave folks who protect us every day. We need to do our part to look after them.”

Sarah is also proof that good things come to those who do good. With her small act of kindness, she was able to help two women who needed it.
In turn, she got more than a hundredfold of the money she spent. She also got a car, a TV, and a better life for her son. Although she is no longer a waitress, she now lives a good life and is able to sustain herself.