After a waitress’ tip jar was stolen in Miami Beach, an ‘everyday hero’ rolled up
As if the outlook for restaurants weren’t bleak enough, someone stole $80 out of the tip jar at the ventanita at David’s Cafe in South Beach.
The suspect was caught on surveillance video, but has not been apprehended, WSVN Channel 7 reported.
In the footage provided to the station, you can see the man reaching in and yanking out bills from the container at the ventanita, where orders are picked up and coffee served. The jar was reportedly for a worker who had stepped away to get the individual a glass of water.
“He just dips his hand in and takes off,” David’s cafe owner Adrian Gonzalez said in the TV interview, adding his place is in dire straits. “My sales are down almost 80 percent or 90 percent. I’m down from 16 staff to roughly about three and a half staff.”
David’s Cafe announced the disturbing incident on Facebook, and thanked customers for any help.
“Thank you all so much for your overwhelming donations towards our Cafecito Family member,” said the post of the worker named Vilma Ferrufino, a single mom who has been with the cafe for over 15 years.
On Saturday, a bright spot.
The 42-year-old restaurant at Alton Road and Ninth Street wrote on Facebook that a patron who had learned about the theft left a hefty tip for the server who was ripped off. This “wonderful soul” reportedly works for Waste Connections, according to the post.
“I wanted to share an update on what started with a horrible act and now followed up with a amazing act of kindness!” read the Cuban eatery’s post. “This guy was just a blue-collar worker and probably lives paycheck to paycheck like most of us...Let’s keep paying it forward.”
You can see the do-gooder in two pictures with Ferrufino smiling outside the ventanita, wearing a neon safety vest.
Albert Bringas, who owns Waste Connections, confirmed that the Good Samaritan is named Jonathan Wyche, an employee of the waste management company. “He truly is an amazing person,” his boss wrote under the comments.
Social media commenters were blown away by the sanitation worker’s display of generosity.
“A beautiful act of kindness.”
“Amazing. Go community.”
“We now have time to notice everyday heroes.”
Owner Gonzalez told the Miami Herald that Wyche did not even order anything that day; he just wanted to help out after seeing the news about the tip jar crime.
“He just had the biggest smile on his face,” said Gonzalez. “That guy was awesome. He said, ‘God wanted me to give her my blessing and brighten her day and here I am.’ He is such a special person. It was just such a random act of kindness.”
He adds that he had never seen this person in his establishment before.
This story was originally published April 22, 2020 at 3:44 PM.
