LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — An Arkansas barista went viral on TikTok. Now, she's searching for the stranger who unexpectedly helped her honor her late mother.
Courtney Crawford works the early morning shift at a Starbucks in Little Rock.
"She was struggling," Crawford said about a recent customer, "so I thought she's having a rough morning. We've got to make sure this girl is smiling by end of the interaction."On April 25, her naturally peppy personality helped cheer up that customer who was trying to shake off the cobwebs at 5 a.m.
Crawford made such an impression that the customer returned about 10 minutes later with an encouraging letter. She asked a coworker to hand it to Crawford. Along with the letter: a $200 tip.
The money helped make it possible for Crawford to buy an urn for her mother, whom she lost to cancer last June.
"I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't dreading Mother's Day," she explained. "And so, I decided that I was going to buy the urn to bring my mom home."Crawford hopes this story inspires others.
"I just think if we could be more authentic in the world, and kind to people, how much of a nice place it would be," Crawford said.ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uLbAnKuvZpOkunC6xLCqaKaRqbawuoywpquklGSvor7IrKuaZZeew6a6jKysq6iinsCmedOip2aZoqCur7%2FArGScp6Wnwa%2Bx2Gaaq5mnm7yzsIysq5qqkqqwrL%2BMpaCtrJyaerO7wqRkpZ2kqbKzecKuqq2nnZq%2FbrTOp6arZaWnu265zq2fnqqjYrGixQ%3D%3D