MLB Star Goes Above and Beyond for Waitress Who Had Her Car Broken Into
Athletes doing awesome things and those same athletes wearing Houston jerseys go together like Texas brisket and cornbread.
Sometimes, as in the case of J.J. Watt raising a lottery jackpot’s worth of money for victims of Hurricane Harvey, the awesome things are grand in scale.
But other times, it’s the little things that affect one life rather than tens of thousands that can make all the difference.
Astros third baseman Alex Bregman fell squarely into that latter category when a $500 tip made a world of difference to a waitress at a Houston restaurant.
Bregman had a night out planned at the Moonshiners restaurant in Houston, and before he and his friends went out to eat, he phoned a staff member asking if any of its employees were in a bind where they were struggling financially.
The staffer told the story of Jordan Thomas, a waitress and student at the University of St. Thomas whose car had been broken into that morning.
For Bregman, his plan was on; Thomas was going to get a night at work she’d never forget.
And that night, Bregman and friends came in, ordered some drinks, chatted up Thomas and then let her know that they couldn’t stay long and had to be on their way.
On their way out, they paid for the drinks and left $500 on the table as a tip.
And sure, the cynical among you could point out that this was a planned stunt, part of a way for Bregman to promote his YouTube channel, and argue that charitable giving should be done in secret the way the Bible (Matthew 6:3-4) commands.
But in a polarized and angry world, we could all do with a public reminder or three about how there are still good people in this world helping other people out when they need it most.
Bregman even addressed his motivations for starting his YouTube channel during a filmed segment in the car on the way to the restaurant.
He said he “wanted to do some things that help some people out, especially here in the Houston community, a community that’s done so much for myself.”
“We thought this would be a good idea to come help a waitress who’s struggling right now,” Bregman said. “I think it’s a good deed, and I think when you’re an athlete or someone who has the platform that we have, it’s important to give back and really use that platform in the right way,”
He and his friends were waiting outside when Thomas found the tip, and when she came out to thank them, Bregman said, “I hope it helps.”
Said Thomas, “It more than helps. I’m so happy right now. Thank you so much.”
It’s not the first time YouTube has been used to publicly show off for good — a content creator named Mr. Beast left $10,000 as a tip after ordering two waters — but when it’s a Houston athlete doing it, it’s the perfect chance to inspire the greatest number of others to look around at those less fortunate than ourselves and make their world a better place.
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