NEW YORK, NY (April 29, 2015) – A New York man left a 7000 percent tip for a struggling waitress. And he did it as part of a movement to honor a former teacher.
ReesSpechtLife.com posted a photo of the man’s $43.50 check with the $3,000 tip left by “Mike” and a note he wrote to go with it.
The note that went along with the receipt read:
Thank you for your kindness and humility. My teacher in middle school had such a difficult experience a few years ago which has sparked me to do this. My only requirements are:
1) Go to ReesSpechtLife.com and learn!
2) Don’t let “Pay it forward” end with you.
3) Since it’s about the idea and not about you, or me, if you decide to share this, don’t use either of our names!
Thank you for being around for all of my shows on and off Broadway. I hope that someday someone gives as much love and happiness into the world as you do.
“Mike” wishes to remain anonymous, but he told ABC News, “This woman had been serving us for almost a year now. She’s a lovely individual, and she talked about how she was served an eviction notice last month.”
He also said the extremely generous tip was part of a pay-it-forward movement through the ReesSpecht Life foundation that was started by his former teacher Ray Specht after the death of his 22-month-old son, Rees. Rees died after drowning in the family’s pond. The ReesSpechtLife.com website says, “Help us help each other. Let’s all work together and do the small things that make a big difference.”
Mike told ABC News that he was in Mr. Specht’s eight grade science class and it was heart wrenching to see something so horrible happen to him. “I had been trying to pay it forward and this was just a big opportunity for me to be able to honor someone that’s so wonderful.”
Ray responded the receipt and the note on ReesSpechtLife.com.
“To think that someone I had a decade ago would honor my little boy or even remember his 8th grade science teacher in such a way blows me away… The note I received last night was affirmation that I made a difference in that young man’s life, and in return he honored my little boy with a gesture that is almost unfathomable.”
