Photo: TikTok
He's terrified of what could happen.
By NyRee Ausler — Written on Mar 07, 2023
As we get older, birthdays become more and more precious. One 73-year-old man wanted to make sure his wife gets her special cake on her birthday and showed up at the bakery with a heart wrenching request.
In a TikTok video shared by a bakery owner named Theresa, a conversation that happened between her and a customer garner a mix of concern and well wishes from viewers.
The baker revealed her customer wanted to pay upfront for his wife's birthday cake ahead of his surgery.
The clip began with Theresa confirming the customer’s request to pay for his wife’s birthday cake in advance.
The man, who does not appear on camera, had requested that he settle his bill now because he was heading in for surgery soon after and did not want to leave the burden of paying for the cake on his wife if he did not survive.
To add context to his concern, the thoughtful husband explained that the last time he’d had surgery, he had ‘died’ on the operating table but was resuscitated by doctors.
He was afraid it would happen again and wanted to make sure his wife received the special gift he had ordered for her if he didn’t make it.
Theresa decided to make a deal with the man that would alleviate his concerns about the cost of the birthday cake.
The bakery owner created an unofficial contract on the spot with the elderly man. She first told him that he would not be charged for the cake until he returned to pick it up. Her confidence that he would be back made him start to cry.
Theresa said, “Stop crying. This is not okay. You cannot cry, because then I’ll cry, okay?” before reasserting that she was not taking any money for the man’s cake order that day.
She then went on to say that if by chance, the man did not return to pick it up and she had to contact his wife, she would say that the cost of the cake had been already taken care of. She told him there was no point in objecting as it had been decided.
In an effort to convince him that he would survive the surgery, Theresa pleaded with the man not to die on her.
He said he was 73 years old, insinuating that he was nearing the end of his life. She responded by telling the customer that her grandfather had lived to be 97 years old but according to him, he wasn’t sure he wanted to live to be that old.
In the end, the man, now identified as “Keith” accepted Theresa’s terms and conditions and she promised to provide an update to the millions of people who had watched after his upcoming March 1 surgery date had passed.
Viewers applauded her for her good deed and one woman named Jennifer also wanted to help, commenting, “If this man passes at any point I will pay for all future birthday cakes, every single year for his wife until she gets to reunite with him.”
Everyone was clamoring for an update with their fingers crossed and Theresa delivered.
In a subsequent video, much to the relief of invested TikTokers, the baker shared a phone call with Keith where he delivered the extraordinary news that he had made it through his surgery. He wanted to thank everyone who wished him well.
He advised that he was feeling good and that he would return as scheduled to pick up the cake for his wife. After hanging up the phone, Theresa broke down into joyful tears, grateful that the man was still here to celebrate with his love.
Keith is scheduled to pick up the cake on March 11 and interested viewers can send birthday cards and gifts for his wife and get-well-soon cards to the Cupcake Café at 230 St. Joe Plaza Drive, Palm Coast, Florida, United States, 32164.
Viewers will no doubt be watching for the update and live video the entrepreneur has promised to share of the moment the man shows up to retrieve his wife’s birthday cake on Monday, March 11, 2023, at 10:00 am EST.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.