Daddy’s Little Girls
Brian Cadigan is a father of two lovely daughters, Courtney and Rachel. Both girls were the best of friends. Brian could not be any prouder to have them as his children.
The girls adored their father and loved him very much. As young kids, they would spend lots of time outdoors with their family and relatives.
Growing Pains
The girls had a great childhood. They both love spending time with friends. Their dad Brian would keep memories by taking photos of them to remember how young and innocent they were.
Pretty soon the girls were off to their proms and parties. They weren’t so little anymore.
Becoming A Woman
It would just be about time when the girls would have to lead their own lives. After graduating from high school, Courtney had started dating and got a boyfriend.
Pretty soon, grown up children move out. But then, something changed with her situation. She lived with her dad as she was going to need someone to help her out in the most important phase of her life.
An Unexpected Surprise
That year, Courtney got an unexpected surprise. She and her boyfriend were about to get the biggest news of their lives. They were to expect a bundle of joy in 7 months. They couldn’t be more ecstatic.
Unfortunately, the father of Courtney’s daughter and her were no longer together, which meant she would be raising this little girl as a single mom. Her family, especially her father Brian, vowed to be by her side the entire time.
Making Ends Meet
Courtney had been working as a waitress at a local for several years now. The Lamp Post at New Jersey was a busy establishment and she worked as a regular for years now. Waitresses in restaurants actually make a lot just by tips alone.
She enjoyed working there and was always ready with a smile on her face to all patrons walking in.
Super Mom
She already had planned to have her daughter, raise her, make some money, and then eventually enroll herself in a nursing program.
Her ultimate goal in life is to be a nurse, with the hope that she could provide the best life possible for her daughter. She had planned to save every penny for her baby and school after giving birth so she wasn't taking maternity leave anytime soon to achieve that goal.
What To Expect
Babies may be cute and cuddly, but they’re also expensive. Becoming a first-time mom in a few months, Courtney had lots of preparation to do. She had to get a nursery, a crib, baby clothes, diapers, not to mention the formula.
She had a list of stuff she had to get along with how much it was going to cost. It could be overwhelming for someone for the first time and she needed a miracle to get all of those ready in just a couple of months.
Hardworking Mom
Everybody in the restaurant knew Courtney to be a hardworking waitress. She never came in late once and always served her customers with a smile on her face.
Even with a growing belly, she wouldn’t stop working. As a parent, she needed to make sure she was financially ready to support her bundle of joy.
Almost Due
With only two more months to go before she delivers her first baby, the hormones would sometimes kick in while working at the diner.
Courtney was lucky she didn’t have much nausea and morning sickness anymore with all the food she was being surrounded with. Being able to work really made a difference. But little did she know that when a police officer will walk into the diner, she will have the surprise of a lifetime.
The Bad Guys
New Jersey is known for some unsavory characters. Unfortunately, even some men in uniform get a bad reputation. So when a police officer walked into the restaurant she was working, she had no idea what to expect.
It’s not really easy to say which are the good cops from the bad cops. So, when you get a policeman as a customer in the restaurant, you can't really expect you'd get an honest one. Not to mention the other customers...
A Mistake
One eventful Friday, Courtney went to work without realizing that it wasn’t her shift. Since she needed the hours to save up for her baby, she worked that day anyway.
In addition to seeing familiar faces during her Friday lunch shift, Courtney also waited on a new customer that day – a Voorhees County police officer.
The Best Part
Courtney English was already 29 weeks pregnant and was still waitressing at the Lamp Post Diner in New Jersey. She had no plans of slowing down that day.
Despite the fact that being on your feet all day was already starting to be difficult for her huge belly, she wanted to save money for her daughter’s arrival. Little did she knew that it was about to be the best day she’d ever have.
Something To Remember Him By
One policeman came in the diner to have lunch. Her customer in uniform was pleasant when she took his order and even after taking it to him. After eating his meal, he then requested his check, which came to $8.75.
Courtney continued waiting on her other customers while the officer paid at the register. It took a short while before she finally laid eyes on the check. She was speechless by what she saw.
The Best Gift
Instead of leaving an 15% average tip of the $8.75, which ought to have totaled around $ 10 – the officer went up and beyond. He left the pregnant waitress a tip way more than that.
Courtney couldn't believe that she saw. She had to tell her Dad the good news right away.
Telling Daddy
“I didn’t know until after he left. And when I found out I was hysterical.” Courtney exclaims. She regret not having thanked him personally but she hoped she could find a way.
She remembers telling her dad excitedly while she was reading the short message on the check.
From One Father To Another
From what it seems, the anonymous policeman was also a father too. That would explain how he was aware of just how expensive babies are (yet worth every penny).
Although he didn’t know Courtney personally – he saw that Courtney was someone who could use the help. It didn’t stop him from tipping her big in the hope of helping out a new parent who was obviously working hard.
Proud Dad
Her father, Brian Cadigan, posted the heartwarming story on Facebook as he was also blown away by the officer’s generosity.
As of the time he posted, it gained more than 3,000 shares, pointing out how “they are human, and do many good things everyday that most people will never know about.”
Going Viral
The policeman left Courtney a $100 tip as seen on her dad's Facebook post. It went viral, amassing more than 9,000 reactions and 3,000 shares.
Brian goes on to say this about the police, “They are people, they have feelings, and they have Jobs to do, sometimes they may not like what they have to do, but they do it without question. Most of the good stuff they do you will never hear about, they don’t do it for glory or recognition, they do it because they are good people.”