A Detroit traffic cop was so thankful for a TikTok influencer that randomly gifted her $500. Days after, she was shocked when the influencer handed her a $50,000 check from a fundraiser he set up for her.
“It’s Mother’s Day. I want to celebrate a mom.” This was the goal of Zachery Dereniowski when he was roaming the streets of Detroit. This was where he saw a traffic cop working really hard.
He approached her and asked if he would buy a mystery jersey for $1. This was a part of the stunt for his TikTok video. Dereniowski asked if she is a fan of the Detroit Tigers and she happily said she is.
Linita Edge, the hardworking Detroit traffic cop said she would but she was on duty. Dereniowski asked if there was a chance she could get off early that night and she answered “Close to none.” Edge said they were really busy and she would likely finish by 10 or 11 pm.
Dereniowski asked Edge’s lieutenant if she could take a break and he said yes. Edge was happy but was worried it would hurt her paycheck. To her surprise, though, Dereniowski handed her $500 cash.
“Are you serious?” Edge asked while wiping the tears in her eyes. “I was just telling my son we’re going to have to put it together and I hate taking from my kids. I try to get everything done and I tell them we’re just going to have to pray,” Edge shared.
The next clip showed that Edge went to a baseball game and seemed to have enjoyed it.
Dereniowski’s TikTok video went viral with 9.5 million views. A lot of viewers were touched by Edge’s story and they praised the TikToker for his random act of kindness.
“She was doing everything with a smile on her face with all that pain hiding behind. A true warrior,” one of the commenters wrote.
Another viewer recognized the Detroit traffic cop. “I work in Detroit and she’s my favorite crossing guard and deserves this so much! God bless you and her!”
In his video, Dereniowski directed his followers to a GoFundMe page he set up for Edge, which he often does for people who appear in his videos. He explained that all the proceeds would go to the woman’s bills and her son’s education.
He also shared that Edge recently lost her husband and is now the sole provider for her family.
“Let’s all come together and show Edge and her family the power of the internet and bless this family for Mother’s Day weekend,” Dereniowski wrote.
In just three days, the fundraiser has amassed $54, 52. Dereniowski took Edge to another baseball game where it was announced that people who have watched the TikTok video raised extra funds for Edge.
When Dereniowski presented the cheque to Edge, the Detroit traffic cop dropped to her knees and burst into tears while yelling out, “Oh, God!” The GoFundMe grew to over $56,000 after that and Edge still couldn’t believe the blessings that were poured onto her. “Who knew a T-shirt would change my life,” she said.
Dereniowski is thankful for his viewers and followers who came together to help Edge, as well as other people in need that were featured in his videos.
“I hope that this ‘viral kindness’ is contagious and creates a ripple effect in the lives of people who have watched this video,” he said.
Edge shared that she does not want too much in life. She only wanted her kids to excel and make it in life.
“I don’t want that house on a hill or the fanciest car but that they continue to work hard doing what they do and stay focused and make it with everything that I believe that’s good that I put in them, I’m happy. I could die happy.”
Watch how Dereniowski helped change Edge’s life in the video below:
@mdmotivator “Happy Mother’s Day” (GoFundMe 1N B10) 🥺❤️ #tigers #mom #mothersday #love #detroit #baseball #kindness #money
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