Everyone deserves a birthday cake. Alfonso Perez, a regular customer at the Price Chopper store in Kansas City, Missouri, witnessed something spectacular.
When a Birthday Cake Is Unaffordable
Perez was in the checkout line when a woman in front of him was piling her goods on the conveyor belt and watching the price increase. Eventually, she asked the cashier to remove the birthday cake from the bill because she could not afford it. The cashier called the manager over to help remove the item. Thankfully, that manager was Francisco Villegas. Villegas decided not to take off the item but to pay for it himself.
“He’s like ‘No, it’s a birthday cake – everyone deserves a cake,’ and he pulls out his own card and pays for it,” Perez said of the interaction.
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Perez couldn’t believe this stranger’s kindness. He didn’t want such generosity to go unnoticed, so he nominated Villegas for local news station WDAF’s Pay-It-Forward Award.
“I knew that it affected me, I knew it could hopefully affect somebody else,” Perez said.
The award not only honors a Kansas City resident but gifts them $400.
“He seems like he has a good heart, especially since he did this for that young lady,” Perez said.
A Grocery Store With an Amazing Reputation
Price Chopper has a history of doing good in the neighborhood. The locally-owned grocery store, raised over $35,000 to provide meals for families in need that same year.
As his nominator, Perez got to be the one to surprise Villegas with the award and cash.
“Francisco, that one day when I saw you pay for that woman’s cake, it touched me, and I know it touched all of Kansas City. We want to show you that we’re thankful for you and for what you did, and hopefully this will help you to keep doing what you do,” Perez said.
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Villegas was visibly touched.
“I don’t have no, no words,” Villegas said, adding “I’m going to use this to give something to people they need, that’s what I’m going to do.”
What Goes Around Comes Around
Whether acknowledged or not, spreading kindness is always honorable. Villegas knew he had the opportunity to help someone in need, and he immediately stepped up to the plate. One small act of generosity has come back tenfold. And the ripples keep spreading.
