Heartwarming Act of Kindness: Stranger Leaves $1000 Tip To Help Pay For Dog’s Surgery
A bartender with a sick dog got an unexpected and amazing gesture of support from a stranger. Christina Summitt has a paw-print tattoo on her wrist which often leads to conversations with people about dogs. She has a dog of her own named Tucker, a Great-Dane/Labrador Mix, and volunteers with a pit bull rescue group.
While tending bar at the Holiday Inn in Clinton, New Jersey, on Saturday night she chatted with a friendly couple who came in. The man asked if she had a dog and she confided in them that Tucker had just been rushed to emergency hospital that very day after he had swallowed a hard plastic ball.
She shared in her own words on a Facebook page what happened and wrote: “Last night a couple come in, I get their drinks , they order dinner , we talk and what not. I told them about my sick doggie Tucker . Yesterday morning he was rushed into surgery and a tennis ball was removed from his small intestine . It turns out to be a $2,700 vet bill!
He’s a 3 yr old lab/ Dane mix. He’s like my child, as are all my pets. I didn’t have the money for surgery but what am I gonna do? Let my dog die? No!! I figured I’d sell my car if I had too. Well. The man signs his credit card slip and leaves me $1,000.00 tip!!!”
The man told Christina to use the tip to help pay for Tucker’s $2,700 tennis ball. Christina wrote, “As I cried my eyes out, I told them I could not take this tip. He would not take no for an answer. I could never find the words to thank this amazing kind couple . My eyes still well up just telling u all about this.”
“I just stood there in shock. I walked around and hugged this couple,” she told CNN. “They said, ‘We’ll be praying for Tucker.’”
Hotel manager Michelle Satanik followed up later to verify the tip was legitimate and discovered that the generous benefactor (who wished to remain anonymous) does this “quite frequently” and is “just a really nice guy and humanitarian.”
A couple of days after his surgery, Tucker is doing well and is now at home resting. “He’s still uncomfortable but being a brave good boy,” said Christina.
Christina, who works at three jobs and has three stepchildren, said she is extremely grateful for the generosity of the couple. “A stranger helped me beyond any help I’ve ever received last night and I’m so grateful and so is my family and my doggie Tucker.”
