Most customers ignored a homeless woman who was begging them for their leftovers at a Raising Cane’s restaurant in California. But one customer decided not to. As they entered the restaurant, Carmen Mendez told her friend that she would be giving her leftovers to the woman if she had any, but decided to go a step further. Carmn’s story, and the photo of of the two together, is now going viral, for the raw emotion it shows.
Carmen wrote on Facebook:
“A couple of day’s ago we went to eat late at night at Raising Canes and as we waited for our order I saw this homeless lady walk in asking people that were throwing away their leftovers if she could have them. Not one person said yes, they all ignored her and threw it away it broke my heart…I have been volunteering with the homeless now for many years…I hold them all with so much love. So I told Fred if I see her before we are done eating I will give her my food. I looked for her as we were getting ready to leave and couldn’t find her…I felt sad knowing all the rejection she had that night searching for a warm meal. As I was gonna throw away my one leftover chicken strip and like 5 fries I heard a very quite voice ask me if I had anything left. I turned around and it was her..l gave her my food and watched her sit and eat it…but something didn’t feel right…I felt like a horrible human being feeding her my leftover chicken strip. She deserved so much more…so I bought her a whole meal…she deserved to eat a hot meal.
When I ordered the meal I asked the employee for a huge favor to please not kick her out as we waited…She was getting ready to get up and leave when I surprised her with this meal…the look on her face said it all..I have never felt something like this…pure, real gratitude. That hug she gave me was like a hug I had never felt…those tears she shed were felt deep in my heart…I held her tight and let her let it out. I wasn’t repulsed by it…I just held her. And that is a moment I will never ever forget.”
I debated posting this picture but considering that today many of us are gonna be thankful for what we have and are...Carmen thinks the prejudice people often feel towards the homeless is unwarranted. She concluded her post writing, “So next time [you] judge a homeless person think twice…not all of them are homeless because of a drug addiction or because they are lazy.”
Posted by Carmen Mendez on Thursday, November 26, 2015
Carmen’s heartwarming gesture reminds us all that one small act of kindness can go a long way in another person’s life.
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