NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— Earlier this week we told you about a local waitress at Hoshun Restaurant that got a $777 tip! The waitress ended up donating that tip to her church to help repair its air conditioning.
The generous customer who tipped the waitress is now paying it forward even more by cutting a new check! WGNO’s Kenny Lopez talked with the generous tipper.
It is the tip that keeps on giving!
“God made it as she needed money for something and she needed money for the church, so God somehow put us together,” Abdul Hamideh, the generous customer said.
Abdul Hamideh an IHOP and Popeyes franchisee is being called a guardian angel for tipping $777 on a $63 meal to Hoshun waitress, Ava Guan last weekend.
Hamideh said he tipped her $777 because he was excited that he and his team had just successfully opened a new IHOP in Thibodaux.
“I was an instrument to give her the money, but what she did with it was amazing,” he said.
Abdul was shocked to find out that Ava donated the $777 to her church—Olive Church in Metairie who needed help to repair their air conditioning unit.
The church still needed $1,300 to fix the air conditioning and that’s when Abdul gave Ava and her church an even bigger tip.
“They told me they still needed $1,3000 in order to fix the A/C, so I thought let’s go ahead and fix the A/C for them,” he said.
It was because of Ava’s kindness and selflessness that Abdul wanted to pay it forward and share even more love and give more.
“What she did should be more commended than what I did to be honest with you,” he said.
The church had been raising money to fix the air conditioning which costed in total around $7,000. With Abdul’s donation they were able to get their air conditioning fixed.
“This is a miracle because we prayed and God responded,” Olive Church Minister Hunter Wu said.
“I’m very happy and very surprised. Alleluia!,” Ava Guan said.
For Abdul it was no sweat to help!
“I only hope that people who are more fortunate can give to people who are less fortunate,” Hamideh said.
Next Sunday the church members at Olive Church will also be treated to an IHOP breakfast: eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, after their church services, courtesy of Abdul Hamideh and his team.