Kind Customer Steps In After Finding Out Her Favorite Grocery Store Worker Hasn’t Had A Warm Shower In Months
She couldn't stand by while the elderly grocery worker continued to live in his home with hot water.
Instagram / GoFundMe A kind bystander decided to step in and help out after finding out that an elderly man who worked at her local grocery store was struggling.
Stephanie Peach, a compassionate nurse from Monroe, Wisconsin routinely shops at the Pick 'N Save grocery store in her area. One of the employees, 65-year-old Dennis Raitman, will often have pleasant conversations with Peach, which is what made her want to help out after he disclosed what he had been going through lately.
She learned that her favorite grocery store employee didn't have any heat in his home.
Raitan, who works tirelessly at the self-checkout lane, has been described by other customers and coworkers as helpful, friendly, and hard-working, according to NBC15. Peach also has similar adjectives to describe Raitan, and while the two have friendly conversations, one specific interaction stuck with Peach.
While speaking with Raitan, he confided that he was struggling with having heat in his home during the colder months, and hadn't taken a hot shower in some time. That admission struck Peach's heartstrings, and she knew she had to step in and help Raitan in whatever way possible.
“I just got to know him and one day he told me that he hoped it stayed nice out because it’s nice and warm out and he didn’t have any heat,” Peach told the news outlet. “I slowly gathered more information and then just kind of went from there.”
She explained that while she had only gotten to know Raitman in a short amount of time, she still valued their friendship. "I just knew him like maybe two months ago, but now I feel like he’s a friend and even could kind of consider him family at this point,” she added. “It means a lot.”
She decided to start a fundraiser for the community to donate money to help Raitan afford heat.
After hearing that Raitan didn't have heat in his home, Peach decided to start a GoFundMe campaign to help the 65-year-old buy a new boiler for his home.
"I’m getting used to some cold showers. I can heat that pan, put it over there, and I’m all set,” Raiten revealed. In the description for the GoFundMe campaign, Peach shared that she had learned Raitan's boiler had gone out 15 months prior, and he hasn't had hot water since.
"I’m hoping to get the funds to pay for him to have this replaced so he can have hot showers and heat again. No 65-year-old should have to take cold showers and not have heat," Peach insisted. "Any little bit helps. Thank you!"
Raitan expressed his gratitude for Peach and everyone else who donated to help him out, saying that he was "flabbergasted" at the number of people who were coming together to give him a new boiler. “I guess she’s one of the few people that leaves me speechless. So, she did that.”
Through this heartwarming act, Peach demonstrated the profound difference one person's compassion and determination can make in the lives of others. Their story can remind us all of the transformative power of kindness and the positive impact it can have on society as a whole.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.