Pizza Delivery Driver Receives Tip of a Lifetime When Community Surprises Him with Car
Thirty years is a long time to devote to anything, and anyone who has put that much time and hard work into a job should be recognized for his or her contributions.
Or at least that’s what Tanner Langley of Tipton, Indiana, thought. He’d noticed the stellar work ethic and incredible dedication of local Robert Peters, who had worked at Pizza Hut for 31 years.
The whole community knew how hard Peters worked, driving his rusty ’93 Oldsmobile to deliver pizzas and a smile with every order.
“He’ll drive 3 or 4 miles down the road in a blizzard just to bring you, you know, 15 cents in change,” Langley told CBS News.
“It’s the moral of it. He didn’t want to feel like you had to tip him because he didn’t have the change.”
For Peters, being a pizza delivery man isn’t just a job, it’s a calling.
“There were people in my family that were, you know, saying, ‘Maybe you should consider something a little bit more financially stable,'” he said. “But it is my purpose in life — trying to make people happy.
“You know, when you’re delivering to somebody, you may be the only face they even see all day.”
So Langley decided to rally the community to do something big for Peters. He started a GoFundMe fundraiser with the intent of getting Peters a more reliable vehicle.
“Robert has been the local Pizza Hut delivery guy for as long as I can remember, and he is by far the most cheerful person I have ever met,” he wrote. “I have never once heard a negative thing about Robert, and I know for certain that the great community of Tipton appreciates him just as much as I do.
“Robert has been delivering pizzas in the same car for a plethora of years, and I think it is about time that he gets an upgrade to his current vehicle! With the money raised from this fundraiser, I will be purchasing a vehicle for Robert that he will be able to use for generations to come!”
And the people of Tipton responded. The campaign raised nearly $19,000, allowing for not just a newer car but insurance and gas money as well.
Needless to say, Peters was floored when he was presented with the car: a red Chevy Malibu.
“Today, Robert received his new vehicle!” Langley posted on Facebook on Jan. 11. “You will be happy to know that he was all smiles when he received his new car, but that is no surprise to any of you since he is always smiling!”
“I couldn’t believe it, it’s almost like it’s surreal,” Peters said.
“And that really makes me — makes me feel really, really good inside.”
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