Ellen Degeneres Surprises Waitress Who Payed For Struggling Soldiers Meal

It was an ordinary day for 22 year old, Sarah Hoidahl, who went to work for her afternoon shift at Ruby Tuesday in Concord, New Hampshire, but then everything was about to change, when two military servicewomen took their seats.

Sarah overhead their conversation and knew they couldn’t really afford their meal.

At the time, Sarah’s son Ashton was 9 months old. She knew exactly what it meant to struggle — which is why she decided to cover the servicewomen’s $27.75 meal.

Instead of handing the soldiers their bill, Sarah handed them a handwritten note: “Thanks to the government shutdown, the people like you that protect this country aren’t getting paid. However, I still am. Lunch is on me! Thank you for serving, ladies!”

The two National Guard ladies shared the kindness they experienced online, and it quickly took over the internet. Sarah never intended for her gesture to go viral and had no idea what was about to follow.

It wasn’t long before Ellen DeGeneres heard the story and invited Sarah onto her show to pay her back the $27.75 right from her own pocket… but that wasn’t all she had planned.

Watch Sarah’s reaction when Ellen hands her the reward!