Hi Do Good Crew,
This week’s issue is about the many ways people look out for one another.
You’ll meet a woman whose doorbell camera captured more than a coffee delivery, sparking a movement to help an elderly delivery guy return to retirement; you’ll hear about a 107-year-old World War II veteran and the grandson who helps take care of him; and you’ll see how a Florida priest continues feeding people, even as fines pile up.
In our latest podcast episode, filmmaker Ava DuVernay reflects on the person who believed in her before the world did, and how that one act of encouragement helped shape how she now opens doors for others.
Different stories. Different lives. But they all share the same idea: looking out for one another can change things.
Let’s get into it.
With gratitude,
David
PS: We want to hear from you, too. Who believed in you before others did? Tell us your story in the comments at the bottom of the newsletter.
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Courtesy: Brittany Smith
Dashing Gratitude
In a small town tucked between Nashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee, a woman named Brittany Smith went out of her way to bless an elderly delivery driver with a big tip… and it sparked a kindness that has become an example of how we should be treating all elderly Americans.
It started with a Starbucks drink.
The Heart
Brittany never looks at her Ring camera, but something compelled her to do so the day a DoorDash delivery driver left a Starbucks drink for her daughter, Courtlyn – a ritual started by Brittany’s ex-husband after he became quadriplegic. Brittany was stunned when she saw who dropped off the order: an elderly man struggling up the steps to her home. He reminded her of her own grandpa. Brittany told us what was going through her head while watching that video: "I was furious. I was like, I know this poor old man is not bringing my very able daughter Starbucks. Like, what?”
Brittany wanted to make sure this gentleman got a good tip, so she called her ex-husband and shared the Ring video (which you can watch here). He agreed they should leave him $200… but the DoorDash app was glitching and wouldn’t allow him to do so. So, Brittany went on the hunt to find out who this man was so she could deliver it in person. Eventually, she discovered that his name was Richard P. and that he lived only five minutes away! Brittany felt a little awkward as she and Courtlyn approached his front door, but she was determined to give him the tip.
When Richard answered, he was shocked… and even more so by the $200 Brittany handed him. He asked her multiple times if she meant to give him this much and if she could afford to do so. Brittany assured him they could, telling him, “God really told us that we needed to bless you today.”
Brittany, Richard, and Brenda
Courtesy: Brittany Smith
Brittany’s family
Courtesy: Brittany Smith
The Journey
Brittany learned that Richard had been retired for 13 years but had no choice but to return to work when his wife, Brenda, was fired from her job. After mortgage payments and monthly expenses, they just had nothing left over. So, they turned to DoorDash – Brenda would drive the car, and Richard would do the drop-offs. They have been working at DoorDash for the past 1.5 years, 12 hours a day. That’s back-breaking work.
So, when Brittany went to sleep that night, she was overcome with the feeling that she should do more for him. Brittany had been making TikTok videos about her search for Richard throughout the week, and thousands of commenters encouraged her to start a GoFundMe… so that’s what she did, hoping to raise enough money to get him back into retirement. Within minutes of posting it, the first donations started rolling in. It quickly went viral in Tennessee… and, in just a handful of days, Brittany has raised roughly a million dollars from about 32K donors.
It’s a generosity that has spread like wildfire. Brittany was just the spark that got regular people across America to join in. Richard said of the funds raised so far: “It’s taking a lot of pressure off of us… and making life livable once again.”
The Takeaway
In just a week, Brittany’s and Richard’s lives have become intertwined in such a special way. Richard now considers himself a grandpa to Brittany and her three children, and Brittany is making sure that Richard stays very selective about where he DoorDashes (yes, he still wants to work a little because it makes him feel good!).
And the entire town has felt the impact of their story – Brittany receives hugs on the street and tears from servers who are also recipients of her generosity. It’s a recognition Brittany never sought, but a reminder that, deep down, kindness is something we all want to celebrate.
It pays to look out for one another.
Leave a note of appreciation for Brittany in the comments! We’ll make sure she sees it.
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The Podcast
The Person Who Believed In Me
Ava DuVernay, the Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind such iconic titles as Selma and When They See Us, is our fourth guest on The Person Who Believed In Me. A consummate storyteller, DuVernay’s tale of how renowned film critic Roger Ebert gave her the confidence to proclaim she was a director is enthralling. Some highlights include:
Sending her first film to the biggest critic in the world without telling him it was hers
The moment she realized her work actually moved him
Why being taken seriously by one person can change everything
Also, don’t miss the yearly Oscar rehearsal trips that quietly shaped her before she became a nominee herself!
Courtesy: Ronald Carson
The WWII Vet Who Won’t Stop Moving
When I read this email from Ronald Carson, I knew I had to share it with you.
Ronald wrote about his uncle, John Edward Romm Jr., who just turned 107 years old. John is a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient who now lives in Ocean Pines, Maryland. But what really struck me wasn’t just John’s age or his service. It’s the relationship he has with his grandson, John Joseph Romm. The elder Romm became a parental figure to John Joseph after his parents split when he was 13 years old, and John Joseph has now returned the favor by taking care of him. John Joseph now drives his grandfather to doctor’s appointments and helps keep an eye on things around the house.
But at 107, it’s amazing how much John still does for himself. He walks without a cane. He cleans his yard. He rakes leaves for his neighbors. John Joseph even recently bought a new chain for his grandfather’s chainsaw, because, yes, the centenarian still uses a chainsaw!
John Joseph may be helping take care of John… but in a lot of ways, John is taking care of John Joseph, too, by showing him what resilience looks like after more than a century of living. John’s motto says it best: “Never stop moving.”
When you see someone older still working a tough job, what goes through your mind?
The results from last week’s poll are in! 80% of you said kindness becomes part of a culture through the small things people do every day. That’s great motivation to keep up the good work!
Goodie Bag
☀️ When Winfrid Webb found a toddler girl walking alone in the middle of a mall parking lot, he knew he had to do something. Webb led her back to her car, where her two young brothers were… and no parent was in sight. Webb stayed with them as he called the cops, leading to the kids’ mother (who had left them alone to go shopping) being arrested. When Webb was asked about his heroism, he simply said that he "believed God brought me here.”
Courtesy: Atlanta News First
Courtesy: Tampa Bay Times
☀️ Father Robert Caudill is feeding the homeless no matter the cost… even $500,000 in fines. The city of Oakland Park, Florida, has been fining the priest $125 per day for over a decade for running a non-permitted soup kitchen out of his All Saints Catholic Mission. But Father Caudill says he won’t stop until “Jesus calls me home.”
Dashing Gratitude… On CBS!
Click image to watch
For this week’s Beg-Knows America, I also highlighted the incredible story of Brittany and Richard. So many of the stories I feature on CBS come from “Dear David” submissions. Sometimes they end up on TV, and other times here in this newsletter. This time, it ended up in both!
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The Last Word
I ran across a quote this week attributed to Dolly Parton that I wanted to share with you: “We can’t just hope for a brighter day – we have to work for a brighter day.” It certainly sounds like something Dolly would say, and I couldn’t agree more. It reminded me of her song “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” The 1977 hit has been newly re-recorded, this time with a little help from Lainey Wilson, Reba McEntire, Miley Cyrus, and Queen Latifah. Click here to watch.
So let me ask you: What are you doing to help create a brighter day?
Made with love by David Begnaud and the team.
Stories that set your soul on fire.
