Father of Waynesville McDonald’s employee reacts to son’s viral act of kindness

What started as a bad day for a local mother has turned into a worldwide fundraiser for a local McDonald’s employee.

[Sept. 29, 2020: Sean Cudahy]

WAYNESVILLE — What started as a bad day for a local mother has turned into a worldwide fundraiser for a local McDonald’s employee.

The employee, Wyatt Jones, paid for the meal of a local mother, Brittany Reed, who left her wallet at home.

Reed went on to post about the random act of kindness and what happened next shocked everyone involved, including Wyatt’s parents.

“He told me I really didn’t do anything special dad," explained Wyatt’s father Kevin Jones. "It’s not the first time I’ve done it, I didn’t think anything would come about it, I’m just trying to help somebody out.”

As Reed’s post started to go viral, she learned more about Wyatt and why he was working at McDonald’s.

“He was saving up to drive a car," explained Kevin Jones. "It’s basically the only reason he was working.”

Reed then started a fundraiser to help Wyatt raise the money for his car.

“I want to pay it forward and show him the same type of kindness he showed me,” explained Reed.

Reed’s initial goal was to raise $5,000, but as of Tuesday afternoon, more than $28,000 has been raised.

Wyatt’s parents are blown away by the support they have gotten from all over the world from a simple random act of kindness.

“He didn’t expect anything he just did something out of the kindness of heart for somebody in need," said Kevin Jones.

While Wyatt’s parents are thankful for the recognition for their son, they are mostly thankful for how their son treated a total stranger.

“It makes you very proud to know when they’re out in the world they’re willing to help other people," explained Kevin Jones.

This Brighter Side of News post courtesy of the WHIO TV 7.


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Joseph Shavit
Joseph ShavitSpace, Technology and Medical News Writer

Joseph Shavit
Head Science News Writer | Communicating Innovation & Discovery

Based in Los Angeles, Joseph Shavit is an accomplished science journalist, head science news writer and co-founder at The Brighter Side of News, where he translates cutting-edge discoveries into compelling stories for a broad audience. With a strong background spanning science, business, product management, media leadership, and entrepreneurship, Joseph brings a unique perspective to science communication. His expertise allows him to uncover the intersection of technological advancements and market potential, shedding light on how groundbreaking research evolves into transformative products and industries.