Unknown Benefactor Covers Mother’s $200 Grocery Bill, But Then A Tragic Twist Occurs
Note: This story was originally reported in December 2015.
A woman from San Diego is devastated after discovering that the man who generously offered to cover her grocery bill of over $200 passed away just a day later.
Jamie-Lynne Knighten had a brief encounter with Matthew Jackson while shopping at a local Trader Joe’s. When her credit card was declined due to a fraud alert, she found herself in a difficult situation with her five-month-old baby crying and a long line forming behind her.
“It was overwhelming,” Knighten recalled. “By the time I got to the checkout, I was exhausted.”
At that moment, Jackson stepped up and offered to pay for her groceries. Initially hesitant, Knighten could see his sincere desire to help when he asked again. She accepted his kindness, under the condition that she would one day do the same for someone else.
“It felt like a warm embrace,” Knighten shared with the LA Times.
Unable to forget Jackson’s kindness, Knighten decided to call his workplace, LA Fitness, to praise him. That’s when she learned the heartbreaking news from the manager, Angela Lavinder.
Lavinder informed Knighten that Jackson had tragically died in a car accident, less than a day after his act of kindness. The vehicle had gone off the road and hit a tree, although two others in the car survived.
“I was in shock when she said his name. It was heartbreaking to learn he had just passed away,” Knighten expressed. “He was such a wonderful person.”
In a Facebook post, she reflected, “I thought I would get to see him again to thank him properly. Now that chance is gone, and that truly saddens me.”
Despite this tragic loss, Knighten is committed to honoring Jackson’s memory by continuing to spread kindness and encouraging others to do the same.
“It’s both beautiful and heartbreaking,” she said. “We want to turn this sorrow into something positive.”
Knighten has since created social media pages dedicated to Jackson’s memory, titled “Matthew’s Legacy.”