Random acts of kindness inspire Montanans to pay it forward

[July 26, 2020: NBC Montana]

Libby resident Jennifer Reynolds was having a normal Tuesday. She visited the McDonald’s drive-thru and placed a nearly $20 order of food for her family. When Reynolds arrived at the window to pay, she got a surprise instead of a bill.

“The lady’s like, ‘The guy in front of you paid for your meal,’” Reynolds recalled. “It took me by surprise, because I don’t expect that anymore. It made me fell really good, it made my eyes water a little.”

Reynolds isn’t alone. The next day in Kalispell, Angie Christianson experienced the same thing.

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Christianson stopped by Kalispell Koffee after dropping her husband off at work, and she ordered a huckleberry frappe. She got to the window ready to pay, and found out, someone else took care of it for her.

“It says there’s nice, good people still around in the (Flathead) Valley,” Christianson said. “Even with everything going on, there’s still good people.”

It’s a small gesture, but something that made a big impact on both women.

“My husband isn’t working right now because his job is closed because of all this virus stuff, so it helped out a lot. A lot,” Reynolds said.

Christianson said the surprise brightened her day.

Neither Christianson nor Reynolds know who paid for them at the drive-thru, but they said they’re thankful.

“I would say thank you for being that nice and kind,” Reynolds said. “There’s not a lot of people like that anymore.”

Both women said they plan to do the same thing for others and spread that happy feeling to others.

“I’ll definitely pay it forward and make sure the next person feels the same way that I felt,” Christianson said.