Freelance gigs, such as driving for Uber or Lyft or delivering food for DoorDash, are how some people pay for their essentials. For others, they’re a great way to make extra cash to save up for the extras in life. According to Bankrate, 41% of people with side hustles use the extra income for discretionary purchases, getting ahead on bills, paying down debt, or boosting their savings.
Recently, a DoorDash driver named Tyler delivered chicken tikka masala to Jen Hamilton, and the bag included a note: “Your tip is helping make our wedding possible. It means the world to us. <3 Hope & Tyler.” Little did Tyler know that he had dropped the note into the perfect person’s order.
Hamilton is a delivery room nurse, the author of the bestselling book Birth Vibes, and the founder of Hot Mess Express, a nonprofit that provides free home cleaning to low-income parents. Last year, Hamilton’s “Read the Word” campaign raised over $125,000 for a host of charities suggested by her followers.
Hamilton went right into ‘stalker’ mode
When Hamilton received the note about Tyler and Hope’s wedding, she quickly got to work, “stalking” the couple to learn more about them. She found their wedding registry and sent them a porchful of gifts. Her followers joined in, buying items off their list and contributing to the New Home Fund. The outpouring was overwhelming for Tyler and Hope.
Hope responded with a post showing the packages that had arrived.
“This is from the last 2 days,” she commented on a TikTok with photos of the gifts on her doorstep. “Its overwhelming in the best way. We are just so grateful for this blessing and to you all!”
Tyler wrote on Hamilton’s TikTok page: “You are an amazing human! Thank you so much, everyone! It’s a blessing, and we don’t know what to say… Just thank you so much!”
Even the company Tyler delivers for, DoorDash, got in on the giving. “Jen, you are [heart emoji] we’re gonna send them a little wedding gift, too,” the company wrote.
Tyler and Hope invited Hamilton to their wedding
A few days after the barrage of gifts began landing on the soon-to-be newlyweds’ doorstep, the couple put out a TikTok wedding invitation to Hamilton:
“Jen, sometimes the universe just brings the right people into your life at exactly the right moment. You did that for us, and honestly, we wouldn’t be here without your kindness and support. Because you’re such a special part of our story, we would be so incredibly honored if you would witness our marriage. This invitation is for you, Jen Hamilton. No public details—please check your DMs for everything. With all our love and deepest gratitude, Tyler and Hope.”
There’s something admirable about a man going out of his way to drive for DoorDash to make a few extra bucks to pay for his wedding and start a new life with his wife. That’s why the support from Hamilton and her followers is so beautiful. She couldn’t have found someone more deserving of a life-changing windfall. Let’s hope Hamilton can make it to the wedding so she can see the impact of her good deeds firsthand.
