People find acts of kindness in Park Hills, Desloge

Tina Kightlinger caught a man being kind on a regular basis at the Save-A-Lot in Park Hills, where she is a cashier.

The kindness began a couple of months ago when an elderly couple who are weekly customers were in front of the man at the cash register.

“They’ve had a rough time lately,” Kightlinger said. “He has diabetes and she just finished chemo.”

After the couple bagged their groceries and left, a man came up and asked Kightlinger if the woman has cancer.

“Yes,” she answered.

“Can I pay for their groceries?” the man asked.

Because the couple pays with a check each week, the manager allowed Kightlinger to let the man pay the bill. She set aside the check for the couple and returned it the following week.

The man has been back every week for nearly three months to pay the couple’s grocery bill. They have never met him, and his one stipulation was that Kightlinger not reveal his identity. However, she wanted to report his kindness to inspire others.

Krista Merseal does not know the name of the young man who performed an act of kindness recently in the Desloge McDonald’s but she wants people to know what he did.

Merseal and her son were standing in line at the fast food store as the man in front of them ordered his food. The cashier told the man his total, and the man reached for his wallet. But when he opened the wallet, he could not find the cash he said he had “tucked away” inside.

“The young man behind the counter – I wish I would have looked at his name tag – told the man ‘Don’t worry, I’ll get it for you.’

“He took out his wallet and put the cash into his register and paid for the man’s meal. I pointed the act of kindness out to my son and was truly inspired to see there are wonderful people still on this earth!”

The Daily Journal challenges you to look for kind acts and share them with us for publication. Your stories may be submitted online by going to https://www.dailyjournalonline.com/connect and clicking on Act of Kindness link. Or, you may report them to Paula Barr at pbarr@dailyjournalonline.com or 573-431-2010 ext. 172.

Caught Being Kind will be published each Friday in the Daily Journal.

The Daily Journal recently was challenged to find out which city reports the most kindness. We are passing on that challenge to you. Caught Being Kind stories will also be posted on the community pages of the cities in which the kindness took place or in which the people caught being kind reside.

Does your city have the kindest people in the Parkland? Share your stories with others by submitting them online at https://www.dailyjournalonline.com/connect. Click on Act of Kindness link.