This guy has been using Starbucks coffee to pay it forward since way before CEO Howard Schultz said it was cool.
Dan Dewey, 67, of Oakland County, Mich., has been making coffee runs twice a week for the staff and patients of his local cancer centers since January of 2007, Mlive.com reports.
The ritual began while Dewey was taking his father to Wednesday chemotherapy appointments to treat his prostate cancer.
"He gets in the big blue chair and I go, 'I'm going for a coffee,'" Dewey told Mlive.com, "and down the road a half a mile was Starbuck's. I'll never forget, I stood up, and here's all these other people hooked to needles. So I go, 'Anybody want anything else? I'm going for coffee. I've got his wallet...' That was the attitude that took off, you know, here's this goofball willing to buy a total stranger a coffee."
Even after his father's two 8-week chemotherapy sessions were complete, Dewey continued his weekly runs for the remaining patients, and his small gesture turned into a big phenomenon. Dewey now serves three local centers, St. Joseph's Cancer Center, the Rose Cancer Center and CARE House of Oakland County, every Wednesday and Thursday. He spends nearly $200 to deliver upwards of 90 coffees a week, according to Mlive.com.
After 7 years of giving, Dewey is now running low on funds to keep up his weekly trips -- but many have been inspired to share his story and help him get the donations he needs.
Reddit user Wtfarubberduck helped his story go viral by posting it to the site on Thursday. The post prompted another user to share a personal experience with Dewey's kindness:
My parents were two of the many people that kind, generous man brought coffee to during my father's struggle against multiple myeloma (a blood borne cancer). He lives somewhat humbly, giving much of his own money in his effort to bring some joy to sick people. I want to thank Dan for the moments of happiness he brought to my parents with a simple cup of coffee during some of the hardest moments of my father's life.
Keep up with Dewey with his Facebook page, or make a donation to his efforts at the Dan's Coffee Run website.
Via Reddit
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