Loyal customers help to raise a $12,000 tip for 89-year-old pizza delivery man
When Carlos Valdez and his wife order pizza from their local Papa John’s in Roy, Utah, they request delivery driver Derlin Newey by name. Newey, age 89, is enthusiastic on the job, and when he arrives to drop off their pie, he always delivers it alongside his signature quip, “Hello, are you looking for some pizza?”
The Valdezes have been posting videos of Newey’s deliveries on TikTok, where they have more than 53,000 followers. Here Newey is, making a delivery with a smile:
@vendingheadsWhat is this guy doing delivering Pizzas? True hustler 🙏 ##fyp ##delivery ##nest ##nestdoorbell ##amazon ##amazonprime ##fedex ##ups ##usps♬ Wii – Mii Channel – Super Guitar Bros
“What is this guy doing delivering Pizzas?” Valdez asks in the caption. “True hustler.”
Some followers began questioning why a man Newey’s age was delivering pizza, prompting the Valdezes to ask everyone to donate what they could to give Newey the tip of a lifetime.
“Collectively as a TikTok community, we all came together, and we were able to raise $12,000 for this amazing person,” Valdez told Salt Lake City station KSL.
The Valdezes showed up at Newey’s home to personally deliver the large cash donation. Newey works 30 hours a week delivering pizza to supplement his social security income, and he was in total shock over the generosity of the Valdez family and their TikTok followers.
“Why would you do such a thing?” Newey asks in the video Valdez posted on TikTok.
“They love you, so they wanted to give you a present,” his wife is heard saying.
@vendingheadsHere it is 😍 ##fyp ##venmochallenge ##🍕man ##love ##blessed ##gift ##lovewins♬ Aesthetic Girl – Yusei
In a tweet teasing the feel-good story, KSL reporter Alex Cabrero wrote, “89-year-old Derlin Newey is a pizza delivery man who received a surprise delivery of his own today. A couple who got to know him from his pizza deliveries raised $12,000 to help him out. He had no idea.”
Check out the emotional video clip in which Dewey receives the donation:
89-year old Derlin Newey is a pizza delivery man who received a surprise delivery of his own today. A couple who got to know him from his pizza deliveries raised $12,000 to help him out. He had no idea. The full story runs tonight on @KSL5TV at 6. #ksltv #goodnews pic.twitter.com/Z83K5LTKPh
— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) September 22, 2020
“How do I ever say thank you?” asked Newey through tears.
In addition to the monetary donation, the Valdezes also gave Newey a T-shirt emblazoned with his catchphrase, “Hello, are you looking for some pizza?”
What a sweet story!
“He needed this,” Valdez told the news station. “I’m just glad we could help him. We just need to treat people with kindness and respect the way he does. He stole our hearts.”