Tear-Inducing
It didn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary at first.
However, as she watched this man take her baby from her arms, an uncontrollable tear trickled down her cheek. Was this really happened? She quickly pulled out her phone and snapped a photo. The world had to know.
Parental Stress
Lisa Endrich was no stranger to stress.
Being a single mom was already hectic enough but having twins might have been double the love but also double the work. Life was a constant juggling act from the moment she woke up to the moment her head hit the pillow. And a recent event made it so much harder.
Car Crash
It was a hit and run.
Someone had run a red light and clipped the front of her car and sped away, making her old four-door undrivable. Thankfully, her children weren’t in the car at the time, but now she was without transportation – something vital to her life. There was only one, painful option.
Car Rental
She hadn’t even walked through the front door yet, and her wallet was already hurting.
But there was no other option. Her boys squirmed in her arms, irritable from the long day and hot weather. The tears had been going for hours and she was just about ready to add her own. She stumbled into the car rental station, barely holding things together.
Fussy Twins
One twin was bellowing at the top of his lungs.
The other fought against her motherly grip. On top of it all she had to carry her purse and baby bag. But Lisa had to power through. She made it to the counter, where an employee was waiting – already looking sympathetic. Then something amazing happened.
Helpful Hand
Without having to ask for help, the man quickly offered to hold one of her babies.
It might have seemed insignificant to most people, but that little extra help was a huge weight off her shoulders. It was so strong that tears welled up. But the surprises didn’t end there.
Work And Play
Lisa watched the man bob the baby in his arms and talk with the boy as he helped her with sorting out the rental.
They employee played “phone” and hummed a simple tune to try and sooth the crying boy. And it worked! It turns out, it wasn’t a fatherly gene that made him so in tune with what was going on.
Viral Story
It was a simple act of kindness, but something so rare for Lisa, she had to snap a photo and post it on social media - John Goodlook and his priceless gesture that made a horribly stressful day a little easier to manage.
Needless to say, the post went viral. But what did John have to say?
His Own Mom
Lisa listened in amazement as he explained he remembered how much his mother had struggled being a single parent.
And he knew his brother and him and been more than a handful! But the fact he had a brother wasn’t the unbelievable detail that left Lisa gobsmacked.
Personal Experience
John was a twin too! Aside from his kind nature, he had a special level of empathy that most wouldn’t understand.
That’s why it was so automatic, so natural, to scoop up one of the boys so Lisa could have less of a struggle for a few minutes. His act of kindness didn’t go unnoticed by the rental company.
Inspirational Act
The internet exploded with the hashtag #belikejohn. People commended him for his help.
Others commented this is what people should automatically do. Either way, the Enterprise rental company gave an amazing gift to John – one that he wouldn’t keep.
Donation Reward
The company said they would donate to whatever charity John wanted!
It was even more touching when she found out he really wanted it to go to the Boys and Girls Club of America – an afterschool sports program with some famous former members including Denzel Washington and Shaquille O'Neal.
Worldwide Love
Lisa watched with a huge smile as the video exploded with over 3 million views and tens of thousands of likes.
She was so happy that John’s act of simple kindness was so inspirational to others. The hit and run had still made her life exponentially more difficult, and expensive, but there was something new to counter the negatives.
Helping Others
It was a precious memory that she could carry with her.
John’s point of view, however, might have been different from hers – he couldn’t understand why people were so amazed. He saw it as something everyone should be doing. People should automatically help others.
Wonderful Memory
Aside from the hashtag, the phrase “Be a John” has started to catch on, and Lisa couldn’t be happier.
Any time she goes past one of those rental places, she will have a wonderful memory to go with it. And, John’s beautiful soul go the recognition it deserved.