Sara Moore Gruver is a hardworking and dedicated mother of three from Elmira, New York. She's also a paramedic who works alongside the fire department.
In 2017, Sara and her family had fallen on some hard times. One day, while driving home from the grocery store, her three kids were sitting in the back seat when they started begging her to stop for some ice cream.
Knowing she had only $20 to her name, she had to tell her kids no. She told them they had plenty of food waiting for them at home. It just wasn't important enough to buy ice cream with the little money she had left.
After turning her kids down, Sara overheard her son Josh praying from the back seat. "God, we'd really love some ice cream," he said quietly. "Is there any way you can give Mommy some money so we can get some ice cream tonight? We know you can. Thank you."
Again, Sara said no — but Josh persisted. He just had a sneaking feeling they'd somehow be able to afford the ice cream.
The frustrated mom put it out of her mind… until they got home and Sara checked the mail. The contents of one of the envelopes left her completely gobsmacked.
That evening, she shared her story on Facebook, thinking her group of friends would be the only ones to see it. Instead, her post went massively viral.
Sara Moore Gruver, a mother of three and paramedic from western New York, was driving home from the grocery store with her three kids in the back seat.
On the way home, her kids started begging her to stop for some ice cream.
The only problem? Sara was down to her last $20. That was all she had.
"So I have $20 to my name right now," Sara wrote on Facebook later that evening.
"Bills are paid and food is bought, but there just wasn't much leftover this week.
"That's okay."
"Then on the way home from grocery shopping today, my kids begged for ice cream. Begged. Cried real tears.
"All the drama."
"I said, 'No. I'm short on money and I might need that $20 before payday.
"'We have plenty of good food at home; we don't need to stop at the ice cream store.'"
"I heard little sighs from the back seat, and then, 'God, we'd really love some ice cream.
"'Is there any way you can give mommy some money so we can get some ice cream tonight?
"'We know you can. Thank you.'"
"Oh good grief.
"'Guys,' I said, 'God isn't going to drop money on our door step so you two can get ice cream…
"'He's BUSY right now with natural disasters.'"
"'Nope,' Josh said. 'God said you'll have plenty of money for ice cream and to give some to the natural disaster people.'
"'Josh…it doesn't work that way,' I started, and then gave up.
"And then we got home."
"And on my doorstep was the mail.
"In the mail was an envelope."
"In the envelope was a check for $123.
"From an overpayment on a student loan I paid off…in 2007."
"The kids were not surprised. God was not surprised.
"They got ice cream.
"The Red Cross got a donation.
"And Mom remembered, yet again, what it means to have the faith of a child."
Good things can happen to good people, especially with a little bit of faith.
It's unbelievable that Sara gave her unexpected money to the Red Cross instead of keeping it for herself.
Many other readers agreed, because her Facebook post went viral with over 50,000 shares.
She updated her original post with a statement of gratitude:
“This post has gone viral!! Craziness!
“I love to write, and I wrote it simply to spread some faith and hope in a world that can be so dark some days… and I believe that’s what my words are doing.”
"I never expected this post to go past my private circle of friends but I'm glad everyone is blessed!
"Keep the faith always!"
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