Hotel Maid Is Brought To Tears After Pulling The Sheets Off New Guests' Bed
What's the strangest thing you've ever found in a hotel room? Most hotel housekeepers can rattle off a laundry list of crazy things left behind by guests, though none will ever top what one Utah maid found hiding beneath the covers. As the crumpled bedsheets slipped from her hand, what she saw was so startling that words escaped her entirely. All she could do was cry...
A Tough Life
After all, this maid — we'll call her "Alice" — had been through some pretty tough times already. With just a few dollars to her name, Alice had been working one low-paying job after another just to make ends meet.
An Opportunity
So when Alice spotted a "Help Wanted" sign in the window of a well-known Park City hotel, she jumped at the chance to make herself a little better off. Unfortunately, landing the job was no sure thing.
Not The Best Fit
Given Alice's lack of a work resume and little experience in hospitality, the hotel manager was skeptical about bringing her onboard. Yet, like Alice, the manager wasn't exactly in a position to be selective.
No Easy Job
The hotel in question was known for attracting rowdy and unruly guests, and its rooms would often look like a tornado swept through them after each checkout. Things had actually gotten so bad that the previous housekeeper had quit!
Taking A Chance
But even with the hotel's not-so-work-friendly reputation, Alice was confident she could handle anything these guests could throw at her. And so, the manager hired her, convinced she'd only last a few days. Boy, was she wrong.
A Regular Pro
In a matter of a few weeks, Alice not only tackled the messy rooms with ease, but she'd also developed an entirely new organization system for the hotel. She even managed to wash an entire mountain of dirty laundry that'd been piling up for months.
Worth More Than Just Praise
Alice was clearly more capable at housekeeping than the hotel manager had first thought, and as business improved, she wished there was some way she could repay the hard-working maid. Unfortunately, the manager didn't have the resources to do so. That's when Kyle Oreffice and Josh Gibson stepped in.
Do-Good Duo
Through their popular YouTube channel GiveBackFilms, Kyle and Josh had made a name for themselves doing kindnesses for complete strangers. From low-wage workers to struggling families to even the homeless, the duo's generosity had already touched countless lives — and they were about to touch one more.
A New Mission
When Kyle and Josh heard about Alice's story, they knew at once that she was more than deserving of a little good will. And so, in 2013, the pair reached out to the hotel manager, who excitedly agreed to help them out. Their plan was officially a go!
Hide-And-Don't-Seek
Arriving at the hotel, Kyle and Josh entered the first room they found and immediately set to work. They started by setting up several hidden cameras at different angles throughout the space, unwilling to miss even one second of Alice's reaction.
Constructive Chaos
Next, they decided to mess up the room a bit, moving the furniture and pulling the sheets and pillows from the beds. In a place where untidiness was so common, anything less than a messy room would've seemed off to Alice.
Pièce de Résistance
Finally, Josh scribbled something down on a piece of paper and tucked it alongside a little surprise Kyle had slipped under a sheet. With everything finally in (and out) of place, Kyle and Josh pulled the "Do Not Disturb" sign from the door and rushed outside.
The Waiting Game
Crouched behind the seats of their van, the duo watched through the rear window in anticipation of the fateful moment Alice entered the room. They waited, breathless, until the handle turned and door swung open.
None The Wiser
For a good few minutes, Alice simply went about tidying the room, pushing the furniture back into place and laying fresh linens and towels. Then, she headed for the beds.
A Shocking Surprise
Alice made quick work of the first bed, but as she lifted the sheets off the second, she froze. Speechless, Alice raised her hand to her mouth as the tears began to flow — she simply couldn't believe what she'd found.
Payday!
There, hiding beneath the sheets, was a line of $20 bills and the note, which read, "This is a tip! Enjoy!" Instead of the usual dollar or two guests would occasionally leave behind, Alice had a received a whopping $500 tip!
A Revelation
Before Alice could even process what was going on, Kyle and Josh appeared and revealed the entire plan to her. Alice was overwhelmingly grateful for the duo's act of goodwill, though it was then that she opted to make a shocking admission.
Don't Be Bashful
As much as she could've used the money, Alice explained that she just couldn't take it. Kyle and Josh were stunned, but after a little poking and prodding, it was clear that the humble housekeeper was just being modest.
Mission Accomplished
In the end, Alice decided to accept the generous tip, and the video of her tearful reaction has since garnered more than 8 million views on GiveBackFilm's YouTube channel. "There’s something really cool about someone being genuinely happy, and it’s exciting," Josh said of the response to the video.
A Life-Changing Moment
But what if, instead of a few hundred dollars, you were given a brand new life? It may sound farfetched, but that's exactly what one act of kindness did for Cara Simmons of Cleveland, Ohio — though that act was anything but small.
Mother of Three
A 36-year-old single mother of three, Cara made ends meet just as Alice did: as a housekeeper. She worked so hard that she never took a single day off, let alone went on vacation. Unfortunately, there is such a thing as working too hard.
Worked to the Brink
This nonstop routine caused Cara to be hospitalized more than once. The stress gave her stomach ulcers, and she still had trouble paying rent. However, Cara pressed on, giving her all to every assignment for her family.
Maid Brite
Her children loved and appreciated her dearly, and her employer, a housekeeping services company called Maid Brite, was especially impressed by Cara's work ethic. Even so, Cara's workload didn't decrease. In fact, it only got heavier as her employer noticed her skills.
A Special Assignment
Things were definitely tough, but what Cara didn't know was that she was about to get the assignment of a lifetime. On a day that seemed like any other, Maid Brite sent Cara to a "very important" client's home...
Madeline Blue?
As soon as Cara arrived, she was greeted by a woman who introduced herself as Madeline Blue. She explained that, although the house was already cleaned, Cara was still needed for some work.
A Large Party
Madeline said she was hired by the owners of the house to organize a large party that would take place that evening. She hired Cara to assist her in preparing everything. It sounded reasonable, so Cara took on her first task: meeting the world-renowned chef—Manny Slomovits—who would prepare an extravagant six-course meal for the event.
Taste Testing
Cara's work had only begun. Her first assignment was to taste—and evaluate—every dish for the event. This was not something Cara was used to, but as a dutiful employee, she agreed. She was a little wary, of course.
Spaghetti For Dinner
Making conversation as he presented the extravagant meal, Manny asked Cara what her favorite food was. Cara immediately replied "spaghetti"; that was her kids' favorite food, after all. It was clear that she always put their happiness before her own.
South African Tristan Lobster
The meal that the chef had prepared was a far cry from spaghetti. Cara was asked to taste a South African Tristan lobster—which was worth somewhere between $400 and $500—as well as lobster tail and quail egg with basil oil.
Dessert
The rest of the meal consisted of an assortment of gourmet dishes that featured $4,000 white truffles and even edible gold. Sweet chocolate treats topped off the dessert menu. This party was certainly going to be fancy!
Party's Guests
The meal was delicious, not to mention incredibly expensive. Madeline then returned and asked if Cara could answer the door. That was when she came face-to-face with two men who arrived for the party's reflexology station...
An Odd Request
Then, Madeline made an odd request: the men needed to warm up their hands before the party started, or else they'd get cramps. Would Cara allow them to give her a massage? While it was unusual, Cara was happy to oblige. It was her job, after all!
Massages
It must have been a surreal experience for the hardworking housekeeper, and she expressed disbelief about how easy her workload was. "I think it's my birthday," she joked as the therapists worked their magic.
More To Come
Little did Cara know how much more was in store for her. Next, Madeline took her upstairs to a bedroom, where she explained that she was trying to clean out a closet by getting rid of an assortment of designer clothes...
Anything You Want
That was where Cara was supposed to come in: she was told that she could take whatever she wanted for herself, including designer heels, a beautiful gold watch, and even a stunning jade necklace!
What's in the Box?
After that unusual shopping spree, Cara answered the door to find a delivery man with a large box. Madeline asked her to open it, and what Cara found in there was shocking...
Thieves!
Somehow, Cara's own belongings were in that box! Obviously, this was extremely unusual. She'd never even been to this house before, so how—and why—would her very own stuff be sent there?
A Second Box
Cara started to get suspicious, and perhaps even a bit worried. The delivery man arrived with an even bigger box, but he wouldn't answer Cara when she asked him where they came from.
The True Gift
After being pressed, however, the delivery man explained that the items were for "the woman who lives in this house, Ms. Simmons." To Cara's utter shock, Madeline said, "Yeah, Ms. Simmons is my boss."
Small-Town Girl
The gorgeous kitchen, the beautiful yard, the boundless closet -- it was all hers! Incredibly the house had been gifted to Cara for a job well done! Before that news could even sink in, the good people at Prank It Forward, who organized the surprise, had one more gift for Cara.
One More Surprise
"We want to send you and your sister on an all-expenses paid vacation to Riviera Maya, Mexico," they told a stunned Cara. She couldn't believe her good luck, but her friends and family were quick to reassure her that it wasn't luck that brought her such good fortune, but her own hard work!
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