Mystery Diner Pays for Family’s Meal and Leaves Behind an Incredibly Touching Note

http://www.theblaze.com ^ | september 3, 2013 | Billy Hallowell

[lowbridge]

A family in China Grove, N.C., was in for a surprise when they dined at Stag n Doe Pizza House on Friday. A mystery customer who was eating at the same establishment paid for the England family’s dinner and left a note that is now going viral. It read, “God only gives special children to special people.”

In an interview with WBTV-TV, Ashley England explained that her 8-year-old son, Riley, has special needs. The mother noted that he got rowdy during the dinner, as he has apparently had trouble in public lately.

“The past few weeks have been very hard and trying for us, especially with public outings,” England said. “Riley was getting loud and hitting the table and I know it was aggravating to some people.”

While some of the patrons were surely unsettled and frustrated by her son’s actions, at least one person showed immense compassion.

After the boy acted out, a waitress, who was tearing up, approached the family with the touching note from the mystery customer. She explained that the person had paid for the family’s meal and that he or she wanted the note delivered.

[1rudeboy]

Just for reference:

New Jersey football players rewarded after paying for items at store with no clerk

Four members of the William Paterson University football team in New Jersey each scored $50 gift cards after surveillance cameras captured them at a Wayne store paying for batteries and sunglasses, even though no employees were around.

[South40]

Sorry kook, but I don't parachute nor do I give a damn if you approve of my post.

Have a nice day.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for posting!

[1rudeboy]

No worries. Some comments are just so stupid that I feel the need to point them out.

[Arrowhead1952]

Notice that the waitress’s name Tonya and the note are written in the same handwriting?

Nope, totally different. Notice the curve up at the end of the "a" and the top of the "n" having a taller start peak than the rest of the letter than in the name. The "o" is very close to being the same. Just saying...

[South40]

Again, I do n’t give a damn what your opinion is. How pathetically vain of you to think I would.

[Hot Tabasco]

Notice that the waitress’s name Tonya and the note are written in the same handwriting?

The "A's" and "O's" and "Y's" aren't even close. So no, I don't notice a similarity at all..........

[1rudeboy]

That’s weird . . . posting on a public forum, and all. But I’ll remember the tip: be sure not to care about what I post. Perhaps you should use your own advice?

[South40]

As should you. It is you who has polluted this thread with your attacks on other posters. Interesting that you’re too dense to see that. Bye.

[bigbob]

Thanks for posting this heartwarming story.

Anyone with a brain knows there are good people to be found EVERYWHERE.

[1rudeboy]

Dude . . . you attacked two cities.

[P H Lewis]

I’m not sure it is the same handwriting. Compare the way the Os and As are written. They’re not consistent and those are really the only letters you can compare.

[glasseye]

What a great story.

Hope springs eternal.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Well there are “good” people and then there are people who actually have the blessing and pass it around anywhere they can.

Now the latter might actually have been bad and sailing briskly hellward at one point... then they encountered the living Lord and eeeerk! 180 degrees, towards heaven. Even if sometimes the Lord had to drag them that way.)

(I’m one of those folks. It is a weird life haunted by the Holy Ghost but that’s what put my life all back together! I don’t ever go around being “holier than” anybody — why should I? my power doesn’t come from myself — but I sure will speak up with moxie for the Lord.)

[oldbrowser]

Is there a handwriting expert in the house?

[butterdezillion]

Rich Mullins had a video where he talked about thumbing rides. He said hundreds of people pass you by but when one person stops and takes you where you need to go you forget all that. One act of grace is a very powerful thing.

I’ve been on both the giving and receiving end of that kind of grace. I can sag and wilt under harsh condemnations but what always makes me cry is kindness.

I hope and pray that my life is a conduit that passes along to others the grace and kindness that’s been given to me from my Savior. And I am so very, very thankful for the people in my life who are channels of grace; life would be a barren desert without that.

[Lancey Howard]

Hmm.. I think the family was rude to take their head banger into a public restaurant if they couldn’t control him.

[bramps]

The parents of the child asked me to ask you this question because they thought they might run into you one day:

Dear Mr. Howard,
We have a child that we love very much but he has some behavior problems and is sometimes unpredictable in unfamiliar surroundings. We have done everything in our power to help him and yet there is only so much we can do. We are caught between keeping him home 24 hours a day in our home but we would very much like to vacation as a family and sometimes even dine out. While out we will do everything in our problem to limit any inconvenience to you or anyone else in the restaurant (airplane, clothing store, etc). Please let me know if we have your approval to bring our child out of his home under these circumstances or should we plan on keeping him inside for eternity. Thank you for your consideration.

[butterdezillion]

There’s a reason you haven’t been given a special needs child.

[sarasmom]

It is rude to deem autistic kids “head bangers”.

Speaking as an individual who was recently slightly injured by a mentally disabled teenager:
His stupid “escort” (I don't know if he was family) allowed him to become overloaded with stimulus, and I stupidly ignored my own instincts, and got caught in the middle.

I often see supposedly “normal” adult people rudely act up in public.

I tend to avoid crowds, and limit my exposure to the general public....