Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Times of India
The Times of India
World
TOI World Desk

A father's small act of kindness later brought $200,000 to his family

In April 2026, content creator Zachery Dereniowski, known online as MDMotivator, sat outside a grocery store in Austin, Texas, with a birthday cake and a blindfold, waiting to see who would stop for a stranger. Person after person walked past until a man named Elvin stopped to check on him. Elvin, a father and grandfather who had moved from Puerto Rico to Austin with very little, was working at a hospital to support his family. He went into the store, bought a balloon and a card, put some of his own money inside, then returned to sing Happy Birthday and pray for a man he had never met. The encounter was captured on video and later became the basis for a fundraiser that raised more than $200,000 for Elvin and his family. This heartwarming story demonstrates how small acts of genuine kindness can inspire remarkable generosity, ultimately transforming one man's compassionate gesture into life-changing support for his own family.

Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!

How a viral video showed a struggling father giving his own money to a stranger

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.