A 73-year-old woman was captured on a cell phone camera buying diapers for a Walmart customer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Sunday.
When a mother had to put back three of the four boxes of diapers she selected because a coupon did not apply, Carol Flynn stepped in, put the boxes back on the conveyor belt, and paid for them. Her random act of kindness was uploaded to Facebook, and soon went viral.
Flynn, a retired March of Dimes executive, noticed that the woman in front of her would not be buying all of the 148-count boxes of diapers she selected, and decided to help.
Katie Kanefke, a wife and stay-at-home, used a price match guarantee for the diapers, but learned the discount only applied to the first box. Kanefke told the Argus Leader that she and her husband, Jimmy, support themselves and their four-month-old, Marcus, on a single income.
Flynn didn't hesitate to help the stranger in front of her.
"You can't take it with you," she said. "I just think we should do things like that. That's kind of my thinking."
The six-year cancer survivor said that she sometimes pays for the car behind her in fast food drive-thru lines, and performs other anonymous acts. This time, however, she didn't remain anonymous.
Jason Yoshino was in line behind Flynn at Walmart, and recorded the entire act on his phone. The video has received over 35,000 Facebook likes and nearly 9,000 shares. Copies of the video have received tens of thousands of YouTube views.
Yoshino said that he and his wife were speechless when they witnessed Flynn's heartfelt act.
"There are some amazing people in this world," he wrote on his Facebook page. "What a way to end such a beautiful day to witness such an amazing act of kindness.
"To whomever the older lady that helped this young girl, I hope this finds you. Thank you and God bless you. #spreadthelove#payitforward #lifeisgood."
Kanefke also thanked God for Flynn's blessing.
"I couldn't believe it. I was shocked. I kept saying thank you and God bless you," she said.
"Then I walked out in the parking lot and started crying. It just hit me. It was an awesome statement of what God's love does.
"If you ever needed a sign or act that shows God cares for his people and provides for them, this is it."
