Elderly woman with 'no family' leaves staff emotional letter after dining at restaurant — it had them sobbing

The elderly woman received a free meal, and the letter she wrote afterwards greatly impacted the staff.

PUBLISHED FEB 27, 2025

(L) An old woman dining alone in a restaurant. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels| cottonbro studio), (R) Facebook| Black Sheep Burgers and Shakes

The simplest gesture can leave a heartfelt impact on someone’s heart. You never really know how much people need that supportive smile or selfless act until you give it your all and experience the magic. The Black Sheep Burgers and Shakes restaurant thought they were only providing a free meal with their annual initiative on Christmas, per TODAY. It turns out that they had been doing a lot more with the simple act. An elderly woman who availed of the free meal left a handwritten note explaining why it meant more than the staff would ever know.

Busy restaurant with customers dining. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Rachel Claire)

The Black Sheep Burgers and Shake restaurant organizes a day where they give out free burgers to those in need around the holiday season. A woman who heard of it came to dine and was so touched that she left a note for the staff. She began by thanking them for their service and thoughtfulness during the Christmas season and shared a heartbreaking revelation. The letter shared in a post by the restaurant read, “A very heartfelt thank you for the kindness of you all! It would have been a very boring Christmas for me as I had no family left. I never thought of this years ago, but being the youngest in my family, I have seen everyone leave this Earth before me.”

Elderly woman dining alone and quietly in restaurant. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Esra Afşar)

The woman explained that she was living on social security and had no finances. She resorted to living in a rented space with a few others and added that her plight was just like that of a young college kid navigating their way through. The letter mentioned that the meal gave her more than just food when she was in need. She got an experience to cherish and was delighted to have been welcomed, served and treated with so much love. “A dear friend heard about the offer of the free meal and invited me out for ‘Christmas lunch.’” She added that it was a “great idea” since she was “down to $1.”

Elderly woman writing note while sitting at restaurant. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Cristian Rojas)

“The meal was wonderful as were the staff. Thank you again for making it a day to remember! Blessings,” the letter concluded. The staff of the restaurant shared the letter on Facebook in hopes of locating the woman and doing something more for her. “Something about this letter has touched so many people. The whole community is now looking for her. She is welcome to come and eat a burger with us whenever she wants. I’m determined to find her,” said restaurant owner Mike Jalili.

People were moved by the sentiment and started looking for the woman, too. Many even applauded the restaurant for its kindness, which added meaning to the Christmas season. Danielle Stoll wrote, “Her letter brought tears to my eyes. I hope you find her. She has a community of love surrounding her. I admire what you're trying to do for her.” Stephanie Ludwig Ahmad added, “May God bless these kind people who are sharing their blessings and showing what humanity should look like. I hope they find this sweet lady.”

In a follow-up post, Jalili revealed that he finally traced the woman and got a chance to speak with her. He was surprised by her life and the positivity she had to offer despite her circumstances. He noted, "She dedicated about eight years of her life to rescuing dogs, even buying a van to travel as far as New York City to save puppies and dogs, bringing them to no-kill shelters. She has no remaining family or close friends as they’ve all passed away, but her outlook remains inspiring."