A single mom and Uber driver in Memphis just wanted to do her part to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic—and now, thanks to a famous celebrity, she’s been rewarded handsomely for her generosity.
When Tammy Smith gave an exhausted a nurse a ride home a couple months ago, she felt inspired to show her gratitude. So she started buying and delivering meals to frontline workers.
Over the past two months, she has delivered thousands of lunches and dinners to exhausted doctors and nurses at her local hospital—up to 60 meals on some days. She started raising money so she could deliver even more, which resulted in tens of thousands of dollars contributed and 3,500 meals dropped off every day for nearly three months.
A local news station praised her efforts, and the story spread even further, with the New York Post and London’s Daily Mail recognizing her selfless work. Tammy was thrilled, because more publicity meant more donations, which meant she could do more for the hospital workers.
On Mother’s Day, the mom of two, was invited to be featured on Jada Pinkett Smith’s web show, Red Table Talk. She was happy to be getting more attention for her cause, but what happened next was more than she could have dreamed of.
The actress and wife of Will Smith wanted to give her a special donation: “We want to purchase for you an eco-friendly car. A brand new one…for Mother’s Day,” Smith said.
“I have never known such generosity in my entire life,” Tammy told WMC News 5.
In March, when the stay-at-home orders began in Tennessee, Tammy’s ride share business took a significant hit. Her car troubles made things even more uncertain.
“Kind of like a box of chocolates I never knew what I was going to get when I started the car,” Tammy said, adding that she expects the better fuel economy of the new car, purchased by the Smith Family Foundation, will help her get back on her feet more quickly.
Meanwhile, Tammy is still putting others first, making deliveries every night.
If you would like to support her generous work, please visit her GoFundMe campaign here. She is also accepting donations via Venmo (@Tara-Rivera-26) and PayPal (wethreesing@gmail.com).
Source: goodnewsnetwork.org
