The story of 68-year-old Dan Simpson, a pizza delivery driver in the U.S., has gone viral and touched thousands of people after a simple act of kindness changed his life. He received over $40,000 in tips through an online campaign, all because he did something that was completely normal to him: helping a customer.
The incident occurred on March 27 when Simpson was delivering a pizza to a customer, but the pizzeria had run out of the soda the customer had ordered. Without hesitation, he stopped at a grocery store and bought the drink for the customer himself.
The customer, Brian Wilson, didn’t have money for a tip at the time and apologized, even offering to call the pizzeria, but Simpson refused. He simply said it was no problem and left. What Simpson didn’t know was that Wilson and his wife have vision problems, and for them, even a short trip to buy something isn’t easy. The driver’s gesture deeply moved Wilson, and he decided to start a GoFundMe campaign to help Simpson, aiming to raise $45,000 in eight days.
A video of the moment went viral on TikTok, garnering hundreds of thousands of views, and donations quickly surpassed $40,000. Simpson, who is set to retire on April 30 and has faced financial difficulties, shared that he has always tried to help people. He also revealed that in the past, he struggled with alcohol and spent time in jail for drunk driving, but later turned his life around, went back to school, and worked for years to build an honest life. “I’ve always tried to be a good person and help others because I know what it’s like when you’re not doing well,” he said.
Even though he has now received significant financial help, Simpson says he will continue delivering pizzas even after retirement. He hopes to use the money raised to take a trip to see the giant sequoias in California—a dream he has never been able to fulfill.