How One Server’s Small Act of Kindness Turned Her Whole Life Upside Down

Step inside the doors of Ruby Tuesday, and you’ll find more than a delicious lunch. You’ll find Sarah Hoidahl, a single mother working hard to make ends meet. 

Sarah Hoidahl, a 21-year old single mom working as a waitress at the local Ruby Tuesday on Loudon Road in Concord, clocked in and got ready to take on the day. Little did she know that this would be no ordinary shift! 

The ladies from the New Hampshire National Guard were in need of a pick-me-up when they sat down for lunch. 

President Obama had to act fast. With the government shutdown looming, he signed the Pay Our Military Act – an admirable decision aimed at ensuring our service members would still get paid. Despite this move, not everyone was fortunate enough to benefit from it. 

As Sarah went about her work at the restaurant, she just couldn’t get these women out of her mind. Serving their country with the New Hampshire National Guard, yet not getting paid for it? It seemed preposterous! She felt that something had to be done. 

The women ordered modestly priced meals and their bill came to around $30 – more than Sarah’s earnings that shift. But Sarah didn’t let that faze her and paid for both their meals.

Walking into Ruby Tuesday, the two servicewomen felt downtrodden. They had lost their paycheck and had no idea how they could afford even a basic meal now. 

The two women were beyond grateful for Sarah’s act of kindness and had to share the news on Facebook. And it didn’t take long for the National Guard and Ruby Tuesday to jump in too! They shared a picture of the note and Sarah, along with an incredibly heartfelt comment from one Facebook user – “On behalf of an ex-military (USMC), thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and kindness!” 

“My heart goes out to military families struggling to make ends meet,” Sarah told WUMR recently. “My bills don’t stop if my income does, and I know it’s the same for these brave folks who protect us every day. We need to do our part to look after them.” 

When the National Guard posted Sarah’s act of kindness on their Facebook page, Ruby Tuesday followed suit and posted their appreciation. 

Who said American kindness was a thing of the past? Sarah’s story sparked a wave of positivity around the country and warmed people’s hearts. It all started when her story was shared on Facebook, quickly racking up thousands of likes and shares. 

When news of Sarah’s story reached Ellen DeGeneres, the talk show host knew that she had to have the single mom on her show to tell her inspiring story. In front of a captivated studio audience, Ellen welcomed Sarah with open arms, saying, “you’re a good person”.

Ellen couldn’t believe it when Sarah told her that after she had taken care of the bill for the two women, she was left with just $8 in her pocket – barely enough for gas to get her home. 

When Ellen asked Sarah if she watched her show, and Sarah explained that she couldn’t as her television was broken, Ellen gifted Sarah a brand new, 50-inch, flat-screen TV.

Calling out to Andy to, “bring momma her checkbook”, Andy brought on to the set a giant chequebook! 

Ellen’s signature was like music to Sarah’s ears, as she embraced her with tears of joy. After receiving the enormous check, Sarah could hardly believe her luck. This generous sum would be life-altering for her as a single mother struggling to support her 18-month old son while working at a restaurant. 

In a later episode Ellen explained to her audience what Sarah had done, and showed a clip of Sarah talking to someone she believed was local news – when it turns out it was actually one of the producers for The Ellen Show! 

You won’t believe what happened part way through Sarah’s interview. Sarah was told she had a call, and on the line was none other than Ellen DeGeneres on live television telling Sarah she was actually on her show! 

Sarah was speechless when Ellen revealed that the man she had been talking to wasn’t a reporter, but someone from the show. She admitted that she had been checking up on Sarah and wanted to know how she was doing. 

When Ellen asked Sarah about her car, she explained, “it has four wheels that get me from point A to point B”. Though sharing the vehicle with her mother can be a bit of a challenge, they make it work with some helpful friends by their side. 

A crew member came on to the set and handed Sarah a key to… a shiny brand new red Hyundai San Jose Sport!

Sarah’s excitement had to give way to patience before finally receiving her car, while the paperwork processing the car was completed. After the anxious wait, Sarah couldn’t contain her joy when she received her dream car. 

Notwithstanding all the attention that came her way, Sarah has remained humble and modest throughout. Sarah still cherishes her time at Ruby Tuesday’s, although the Concord location closed its doors in 2019.