Ashley Lancaster Cunniff was having a bad week.
Down on her luck financially, she has scraped together enough cash to take her kids to the fair this weekend for a day of family fun. In a momentary lapse of judgment, she took the $78 she had saved and stuck it in her back pocket while leaving a CVS on Tuesday. When she went to look for it, the money was gone.
After crying over her loss, she vented her frustration by posting “To the person who took my $78 at CVS in Lakewood. You suck! I needed that. I hope Karma works fast!!! Watch out!” on the Lakewood, Dallas Facebook group.
What she didn’t expect was the outpouring of support her neighbors, many of whom were total strangers, showed the young mother. It began with people offering her family free tickets to the fair, but quickly progressed to people offering straight cash donations. Some offered to leave checks under their doormats, and privately sent Cunniff their address.
“I’ll put money under my mat too!! My husband and I were so broke the first nine years of marriage. I’m amazed at how many helping hands were there along the way at the most unexpected times. Anyway, we really try to pay it forward,” posted one neighbor.
Others referenced Cunniff’s good work helping the neighborhood by rescuing stray dogs. “I’m in for $20! Ashley Lancaster Cunniff has saved so many puppies and dogs on her own time and dime and I would love for you to have a fun day at the fair with your kids!” another neighbor wrote.
By Friday, her week had turned around. She posted (sic) “I wanted to say THANK YOU to all the sweet people who helped me out!!! Wow! I’m blown away:) and so appreciative. Times are hard for me these days and that money that was stolen hurt me financially…..Lakewood neighbors stepped up with cash and fair tickets!!! All I wanted to do was have a fun fair day with my kids.”
She continued, “I will forever remember this, and will teach m kids that this is why we treat people kind. [Because] there is always someone struggling behind their smile.”
Just one of many reasons to love the Lakewood community, which clearly takes care of its own.
