Good deeds are contagious, as the saying goes.

And they certainly don’t need to be grand gestures. Even seemingly small, positive actions we take in our everyday lives can also have amazing consequences.

This story is proof of that.

Tim Young and Paul Hullings from New Jersey are hearty firefighters that live for their work.

They recently worked tirelessly for 12 hours to clear out a fire. After which, being completely exhausted, they went to a cafe around 6 a.m to request the strongest cup of coffee the barista could muster.

Their waitress that day was Liz Woodward and she just happened to overhear the two firefighters discussing their tiresome battle. Eventually, when Tim and Paul went to pay, they were greeted with a nice surprise. Instead of their bill, they were given this message.

Emotionally, they thanked the kind waitress for her warm gesture. On Facebook, Tim recounts the event : “Such a selfless and kind act. I definitely urge my friends to make a trip out and support the business, and if Liz happens to be your waitress, tip big.”

But the story doesn’t end there. The firefighters learned that Liz’s father, Steve, is quadriplegic and has been paralysed for five years. Liz set up a donation page in winter to fund a wheelchair accessible vehicle so that she can take her father places. Tim urged people on Facebook to donate to Liz’s crowd-fund : “Turns out, the young lady who gave us a free meal is really the one that could use the help…”

Within a few days, she had gathered more than $70,000 – far more than the $17,000 needed for a wheelchair accessible van.

Liz and her family couldn’t be more grateful to the two firemen : “All I did was pay for their breakfast. I didn’t expect anything more than a smile,” says the waitress “It goes to show that you just have to be kind to each other and that even the smallest gesture can change a life.”

This story is proof that kindness pays off – sometimes a thousand fold, good on everyone involved in this.

For me this story is a great testament to just how contagious – and effective- kindness can truly be. Even small kind gestures can give results you least expected.