Indiana woman pays for stranger's cake to honor her late son's birthday
(Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
FOX NEWS - A woman in Indiana inspired her community this week with a kind gesture to honor her late son.
When Carolyn Mick went to pick up a cake from her local Kroger in Plainfield, Indiana, she discovered someone had already paid for it. The cake also came with a note, signed by "Toni, Tyler’s mom."
In the note, Toni explained that her son had died five years ago and she wanted to honor his memory by buying Mick’s cake.
"Today is my son’s 35th birthday, his 5th one in Heaven," Toni wrote in the note, which was posted online. "In his memory I’ve paid for your cake. Please enjoy, make special memories and hug your children and loved ones tight. My son loved cake!"
Mick posted a picture of the note in a local Facebook group and said she was moved to tears by Toni’s kindness and message.
"Dear Toni.. you know who you are and I want to express how moved I am," Mick wrote. "This means so much that my husband and I cried together. With the turmoil of things going on it reminds us of what really matters LIFE!"
Many commenters on the post were also moved and inspired by Toni’s gesture.
"Wow. This is simply amazing," one person wrote. "Definitely brought the tears when reading this. What an amazing way for Toni (Tyler’s mom) to carry his legacy on."
Someone else wrote: "Wow!! I hope this makes us all better humans!"
"I love this idea," another person said. "What a beautiful way to keep his memory alive through something that he loved. Touching another family at the same time."
Mick told People that her mother had recently died and she wasn’t sure how she was going to mark her upcoming birthday next month. Now she has an idea.
"I just lost my mother and was pondering on how to celebrate her birthday coming up in June," Mick said. "Never thought about paying for a cake. We have it in us to be kind and supportive of others. You never know what a simple cake can mean to someone else."