Waiter Desperate to Visit Family in Ireland Gets a Huge Shock When He Sees Stranger's Note on Receipt

A handwritten note on a restaurant receipt shows the 0 tip given by a diner named Jeffrey to a waiter from Ireland who wanted to return home for the holidays. (Facebook/Taryn Keith)

Who says random acts of kindness are a thing of the past? A waiter named Ben Millar, who hails from Ireland and is currently working at a restaurant in Texas, got the surprise of his life when a total stranger gave him a generous $750 tip so that he can return home to his family for the holidays.

The heartwarming news was first shared in Facebook by Taryn Keith, the waiter's girlfriend. "My boyfriend got this tip last night at work. He's from Ireland and is trying to take us back there once Killian is born so we can meet his family. Thought I would share it to show everyone that's there is not only hate out there. Truly blessed," she wrote on the post.

Keith then told The Huffington Post that she is expecting a baby late this January. When her boyfriend shared his problem to a diner named Jeffrey and his family, he was surprised to receive a big tip alongside Jeffrey's $122.87 tab. "Hopefully this can get you back to Ireland for the holidays," the  handwritten message reads.

"I jokingly said, 'I wish I could go back that often to see my family,'" Millar, who is from Belfast, told ABC News. "I thought nothing of it, and we all joked after. The night went on, and I proceeded to give good service and talk to them."

It was only when the diners left that Millar saw the huge tip Jeffrey had given him. When asked what he is going to do with the money, Millar said he's going to use it to introduce his girlfriend and their new baby boy to his family in Ireland. He hasn't seen them in two years, and is eager to reconnect with them.

Millar added that he has never received a tip quite like the one Jeffrey gave him, and he hopes the generous diner would return to the restaurant so he can express his thanks.

"It means a lot to me, but more to my family back home who will benefit from seeing me again since almost two years," he said, adding that he would "love if Jeffrey could come over when I go back, so I can show him the true Northern Ireland, not just the tourist aspect."

News
Over £900,000 awarded to help UK churches stay open amid growing funding pressures
Over £900,000 awarded to help UK churches stay open amid growing funding pressures

Hundreds of churches across the UK are receiving vital financial support to remain open and safe, as rising repair costs and shrinking funding streams place historic buildings under increasing strain.

How to make the most of the quiet period between Christmas and New Year
How to make the most of the quiet period between Christmas and New Year

Make the most of these last days of the year to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with God.

US carries out strikes on Islamic State in Nigeria over violence against Christians
US carries out strikes on Islamic State in Nigeria over violence against Christians

The US military has conducted airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Nigeria over the violent "targeting" of Christians. 

Gay Archbishop of Wales says some people have left Church over her appointment
Gay Archbishop of Wales says some people have left Church over her appointment

The first openly gay Archbishop of Wales says her appointment has caused some people to leave the Church in Wales.