Iowa Man’s Good Deed for Veteran Goes Viral

There's a saying about people being "Iowa nice." My time in Iowa has shown me just how friendly the state's citizens can be. But this story is about more than being nice; it reaffirms my faith in humanity a little bit.

A woman named Alana Ruthann posted on Facebook about an exchange she witnessed between two men at a Walmart in Ankeny, Iowa recently. A younger man paid it forward by purchasing groceries for an elderly man wearing a veteran ball cap. He told the veteran:

“Sir, I’m paying for your items because you paid by serving my country and I’m grateful for you.” 

Alana went on to say, "That 20-second interaction didn’t just change the veteran’s day- it changed my day, as well as that cashier’s- because that 20 seconds showed us by looking up and slowing down- life is pretty beautiful and surely we can find something to be grateful for."

Alana's post has been shared over 7,000 times and has collected hundreds of comments from people inspired by the man's kind actions. I can only hope the good deed will push others to be grateful today.

Check out the rest of Alana's Facebook post here.