Dude applauded for buying elderly woman's groceries when her card declines

She reminded him of his Grandma.
 By 
Johnny Lieu
 on 

For all the bad stuff that's happening around the world, there's still plenty of good.

Like this guy, who paid for an elderly lady's groceries, after her card kept being declined at a grocery store checkout in Wyoming, Australia.

A picture of the moment was snapped and uploaded to Twitter on Feb. 28. "This guy at Wyoming Coles who just went through the register with his two kids paid for this ladies groceries when her card kept declining," it said.

Turns out the man is Ryan O'Donnell, 34, who told Today Thursday morning he's a bit overwhelmed by the response. "I was there in the grocery aisle in the checkout with my kids and I saw the old lady having some troubles with the card," he told the news show.

"I went around and spoke to the young lady and said, how much is it? And they said, look, it's like $44 or something and her card kept being declined, due to insufficient funds. I said here is $50, just take it out of that," he said.

O'Donnell said the lady kept trying to ask how she could get the money back to him, but he wouldn't have it.

"I said, look, don't worry about it. It's only $44. You'll be right," he said. The pair had never met, and haven't run into each other since the incident.

"She's a beautiful lovely old lady. She reminded me of my nan or grandma. I just could not walk away. That's how my mum and dad brought me up," O'Donnell said. What a champ.

Topics X/Twitter

Mashable Image
Johnny Lieu

Mashable Australia's Web Culture Reporter.Reach out to me on Twitter at @Johnny_Lieu or via email at jlieu [at] mashable.com

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You

Get a free $10 Best Buy gift card when you buy a $100 Wayfair gift card
Living room scene featuring yellow chair, gray couch, medallion rug, vases, and flowers

It's your last chance to snag $30 off this Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro + $30 Amazon Gift Card combo
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro + $30 Amazon Gift Card on pink and purple abstract background

How to check or reload your Amazon gift card balance
Amazon gift card with colorful background

Start the New Year saving big with a $25 Sam’s Club membership
1-Year Sam's Club Membership with Auto-Renew

More in Life
California just launched the country's largest public broadband network
Newsom stands behind a teen on a computer. A group of people cheer and clap behind them.

The Shark FlexStyle is our favorite Dyson Airwrap dupe, and it's $160 off at Amazon right now
The Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System against a colorful background.

Amazon's sister site is having a one-day sale, and this Bissell TurboClean deal is too good to skip
A woman using the Bissell TurboClean Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner Mop and Lightweight Wet/Dry Vacuum.

The best smartwatch you've never heard of is on sale for less than $50
Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro in light green with blue and green abstract background

Reddit r/all takes another step into the grave
Reddit logo on phone screen

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!