It was a hard year for many in 2018. However, that doesn't mean it was completely devoid of happiness and caring. Here are nine acts of kindness that went viral this year.
The two strangers who saved a baby at Walmart
When 8-month-old Hazel Nelson went into cardiac arrest at a Walmart, her mother was panicked. Luckily, two strangers, who happened to be nurses, stepped in and helped little Hazel by performing CPR. Hazel, who was diagnosed with with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and pulmonary arterial hypertension, recovered from the ordeal. And her mother thanked the strangers in a heartfelt Facebook post.
The Waffle House waitress who went above and beyond for a customer
When a customer timidly asked young waitress Evoni Williams to cut his ham for him at a Texas Waffle House restaurant, she didn’t miss a beat . The act, captured by a fellow diner, went viral on Facebook as people far and wide applauded the teen’s dedication to customer service. And appreciation for her kindness didn’t stop there — she also got a scholarship.
The little big spender
There’s a popular mantra among adults: when a child hands you a pretend phone, you answer it. That’s pretty much what one Indiana waiter did when a 3-year-old girl handed him a fake pink credit card to pay for her family’s dinner at Carrabba’s. Not only did the waiter take her card, but he drew up a receipt for her and put her check in its own folder. The family expressed their appreciation for his kindness in a Facebook post.
The body-shamed passenger and the man who stepped in
When Savannah Phillips was called "a smelly fatty" on board a United flight , the mother was distraught. Luckily, a man who was on the same flight stepped in and switched seats with the body shamer. Phillips wrote about her appreciation for the man in a Facebook post that gained a lot of attention. You can read the full post below.
The firefighters who saved some kids — from a hot summer day
When firefighters saw some kids in North Carolina trying to fill up their kiddie pool on a sweltering summer day by carrying pots of water from the sink, they did what any decent person with a giant hose would do: they helped out . And their act of kindness went viral.
The gas station company who helped a mother
When a mother whose son was on life support shared a callous text exchange with her manager about taking time off, the social media world took notice .
And so did the company that owned the gas station.
They told Crystal Reynolds Fisher she could take time off as needed and that the manager had been fired for the way they responded.
The grocery store employee with a heart of gold
Anyone with family members on the autism spectrum knows that going out in public can be challenging. Even everyday tasks, like going to the grocery store, can be difficult. So when grocery store employee Jordan Taylor recruited Jack Ryan Edwards, who is on the autism spectrum, to help him stock shelves , the world took notice.
Jack Ryan’s sister posted about the kind act on Facebook where it garnered tons of reactions.
His son was mesmerized by what 20-year-old Taylor was doing and not just any grocery store employee would ask his child to help them with a task for half an hour.
The social media challenge that wasn’t dumb
Social media has spawned some interesting “challenges” in 2018 (looking at you #TidePodChallenge). But it wasn’t all strange and dumb acts. The #tipthebillchallenge rewarded servers with tips that were equal to the bill. The restaurant industry is notoriously tough, and this was a welcome surprise for a lot of folks.
See a sample of the act of kindness on Instagram below.
The police officer who helped a struggling widow
The owner of a gas station in Michigan witnessed an act of charity that caught the attention of Facebook users everywhere.
A woman paid for her gas with $3 in change. An officer in line behind her overheard how much gas she was getting and started chatting with the woman, who he learned was recently widowed and financially struggling since her husband’s passing.
The officer then went back inside and got the woman $20 worth of gas with his own money. That small act was a blessing that beget more blessings as the social media post went viral and the GoFundMe set up for the widow gained national attention, ensuring the woman wouldn’t have to worry about her finances for a while.
