AN ALBURY man touched by the kindness of a stranger plans to repay his generosity by helping others.
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Tyson Crawley filled up his car with petrol at the Coles service station on the corner of Guinea and David streets on Friday morning.
But a problem with his bank cards meant he couldn’t pay the $109 bill and he started to become stressed.
A stranger – later identified as Newcastle North Stars ice hockey player John Kennedy Jnr – insisted on paying for him.
When Mr Crawley asked for the man’s phone number to repay him, Mr Kennedy simply wrote “pass it on” on the receipt.
Mr Crawley was shocked by his actions.
“I drove to work in silence – I was just absolutely stunned and grateful,” he said. “It gave me such an amazing feeling.
“I just thought the world should hear about this and how grateful I am, and how beautiful humans can be.”
Mr Crawley had taken a photo with Mr Kennedy immediately after the incident, but the Newcastle man left the petrol station before he could properly thank him.
He later contacted him on Facebook to thank him.
“I never wanted to chase him down because I knew he wouldn’t have wanted that,” Mr Crawley said.
“I said I was sorry if the publicity had harassed him but he wasn’t worried.
“He said we should catch up with a beer next time he’s in Albury.”
Mr Crawley wants to take up the concept of “paying it forward”.
“I’m new to the idea but I’ve heard about it before with coffee,” he said.
“I definitely plan on doing the same thing, over and over again, and hopefully experience the same gratitude that I expressed.
“It will just be if I came to an instance where I feel like someone needs help.
“It’s just about being kind to each other and having a positive outlook on life. That's something I always try to practice.”
Mr Crawley posted the photograph he took with Mr Kennedy online and plans to frame the image with the receipt.
The image has been widely shared on social media.
Mr Crawley will also catch up with him when he next returns to the Border.
“(Mr Kennedy) doesn't want the money back,”he said.
“He wants to see another good deed done for his good deed.”
