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SMILES

Veteran Cries at Surprise Birthday Cake

Meet Leo Rivas, a hardworking dishwasher and respected veteran, affectionately referred to as "the sweetest person" by his colleagues. When his birthday rolled around, Noemi Feliciano, his supervisor, wanted to make it special and show Leo just how much he meant to everyone.

She set out to plan a surprise that would leave not only Leo, but the whole team, teary-eyed.

In her own kitchen, Noemi baked a birthday cake for Leo and brought it to work. As she and the rest of the crew started singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ she surprised Leo with the cake.

The video shows an overwhelmed Leo, clearly moved to tears, covering his face. Noemi shared the heartwarming video on TikTok.

"It had been a long time since he has gotten a cake on his bday," she explained in the caption.

The video served as a poignant testament to the deep affection and respect Leo's coworkers have for him. However, the story didn't end there.

After witnessing Leo's emotional reaction to the birthday surprise, TikTok users were deeply touched and wished to extend their own birthday wishes to Leo. They expressed a strong desire to shower him with love and presents.

So, Noemi decided to set up a GoFundMe for Leo and it was the best idea!

This platform allowed anyone who wished to send a gift to Leo to do so without hassle. The act further demonstrated the incredible power of social media to spread kindness and love.

The video of Leo receiving his birthday cake is indeed a heartwarming watch. It beautifully captures the surprise, the joy, and the overwhelming emotions that Leo experienced - it was a moment to remember.

(Click here to watch the full story)

OPTIMISM

Waitress Gets $3k Tip with 3 "Rules”

The ReesSpecht Life Foundation is a story of heartbreak transforming into hope.

Heartbreakingly, middle school teacher Richard Specht lost his 22-month-old son Rees, to a drowning accident in October 2012. It happened just before Hurricane Sandy devastated Long Island. In the wake of their grief and the hellscape of the hurricane, the Specht family found comfort in the kindness of friends, neighbors, and even strangers.

This sparked an idea in them - to create the ReesSpecht Life Foundation, a platform to promote community, compassion, and respect.

The essence of the foundation's mission is encapsulated in the hundreds of thousands of "Pay it Forward" cards that have been distributed in memory of Rees. These cards carry a simple yet powerful message: perform a kind act and pass the card on, fostering an unending cycle of compassion.

One day, an individual chose to embody this concept in an extraordinary way.

He left a $3,000 tip for his waitress on a $43.50 bill. But that's not all he left behind. There was also a heartfelt message penned on the back of the receipt.

The anonymous benefactor wrote, "Thank you for your kindness and humility. My teacher in middle school had such a difficult experience a few years ago, which has sparked me to do this” the note read.

The note continued:

“My only requirements are: 

• 1.) Go to [ReesSpechtLife.com](http://reesspechtlife.com/) and learn!

• 2.) Don't let 'Pay it forward' end with you.

• 3.) Since it's about the idea and not about you, or me, if you decide to share this, don't use either of our names!

Thank you for being around for all of my shows on and off Broadway. I hope that someday someone gives as much love and happiness into the world as you do."

Intrigued by this generous act, the waitress contacted Richard Specht and shared the receipt and the story. Richard was left astounded.

"My mouth sat agape as a picture attached to her reply showed a restaurant receipt with a $3,000 tip on it. I literally did a double, even triple take," Richard wrote in a blog post.

The surprise grew when he realized that the generous tipper was a former student of his from ten years prior.

This act of kindness, performed in memory of a little boy the man never knew, deeply moved not only the waitress but also his former teacher. It serves as a testament to the profound impact kindness can have on people's lives.

(Click here to watch the full story)

Quote of the Day 💭

On This Day In History…🗿

• In 1876, Colorado officially entered the Union. 1876 just so happened to be the “birthday” of the United States, as a whole (also known as the year the United States celebrated its centennial). Thus, the thirty-eighth state is now known as the “Centennial State”.

• Also on this day back in 1981, MTV broadcasted for the very first time. The new cable channel made no bones about what it was created to do, as their intentions were clear from the title of the very first music video they ever played - "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.

• A little later down the line on August 1, 1996, “A Game of Thrones,” was released by epic fantasy novelist George R.R. Martin. The book was the first in Martin’s series called “A Song of Ice and Fire”, an epic about feuding medieval noble families on the imaginary (and now well known) continent of Westeros.

Notable birthdays:

• Maria Mitchell, most notably known as the first professional woman astronomer in the United States, was born on August 1, 1818, in Nantucket, Massachusetts

• American writer Herman Melville was born on this day in 1819. While he was generally known for writing his “novels of the sea,” without question, the one he’s most known for today is Moby Dick (1851).

• Roman Emperor Claudius I takes it way, way back with his birth date of August 1st, 10 B.C.!!! He’s credited for extending Rome’s rule in North Africa and making Britain a province. He was born in Lugdunum, Gaul now known as Lyon, France.

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