Courtney Cardigan worked at the Lamp Post diner as a waitress. She was eight months pregnant, but she didn't want to go on maternity leave because she was trying to save as much money as possible to provide for her child.
One day, a cop walked in to get lunch, and that was when her life turned upside down...
A Stranger
Courtney had been working at the diner for over seven years, so she knew all of her regular customers.
However, one day, a police officer she had never seen before entered the restaurant. He introduced himself to Courtney and handed her a small piece of paper.
Worried
Courtney worried that she wouldn't be able to provide for her baby. To make matters worse, she had recently broken up with the father of her child, so she was now alone in this.
These thoughts raced in her mind as she handed the menu to the police officer. But the mom-to-be had no idea what was coming.
Something Was Off
For some reason, the unfamiliar customer made her feel very uncomfortable. Something about him was so offputting, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
The more she spoke to him, the more she felt like he wasn't a police officer at all.
New Customers
As she came out of the kitchen with the officer's order, she noticed that a couple had taken a seat at the table right next to him.
Naturally, she grabbed two menus and introduced herself to the pair. Little did she know what was about to happen next.
He Was Listening
"I was telling the people at the table behind him that it was my first baby," she recalled. "I was going out of work soon."
They chatted for a while, unaware that the police officer was listening to every word.
Strange Behavior
The stranger chugged his water and quickly finished his salad. Then, he asked Courtney for the check. She gave it to him, and the total was $9.00
As soon as she turned around to get the debit machine, the cop stood up and rushed out of the diner. Did he run away without paying?
A Note
The cop left a leather folder behind, and Courtney saw that he had left enough cash inside to cover his meal. Then, she saw a small note next to the folder that brought tears to her eyes.
The note had Courtney's name on it.
A Generous Tip
“He must have overheard my conversation with other customers,” she recalled.
The note read, “Enjoy your 1st. You will never forget it.” He left her a $100 tip!
Emotional
With her pregnancy hormones raging, Courtney couldn't contain her tears. She was stunned at the officer's generosity and kindness.
It took Courtney a minute to process what had just happened. She couldn't believe the officer left her such a generous tip!
A Blessing
“It’s truly a blessing to come across people like him, and I’m forever thankful for that,” Courtney told Gloucester Township Patch.
She knew she had to thank the police officer in person. But would she be able to find him?
Searching For The Officer
She ran out to the parking lot, hoping that he hadn't left yet. But it was too late.
As soon as she finished her shift, she contacted the Voorhees Township Police Department to try to get in touch with the cop.
Brian's Thoughts
Courtney's brother, Brian, was moved by the officer's gesture. "It's not the amount. It's the humanity of it."
“He saw she was struggling and a young girl. She was working in a diner while pregnant, standing with that kind of weight on her, and it was his way of saying, ‘I understand your struggle.’”
Not All Officers Are Bad
“You always hear about how bad the police are, how they treated you like dirt, how they are on a power trip,” Brian wrote in his Facebook post.
“I am sure there are some bad apples, but most of them are just doing their jobs, they deal with the worst of society every day and have to keep going back every day and deal with it all over again.”
A Kind Gesture
The generous police officer asked to stay anonymous after his good deed.
Courtney and Brian thanked him by bringing boxes of donuts for the entire police department. “Thanks to Brian Cadigan & Courtney English for bringing in treats for our staff this morning,” the Voorhees Police wrote on their Twitter account.