Upon the Valdez family’s appeal to their followers for donations, the funds gathered for Newey surpassed their initial expectations.
Valdez, speaking to KSL 5 TV, expressed gratitude, stating, “Collectively as a community, we all came together and were able to raise over $12,000 for this amazing person.”
Signed by the “TikTok Family,” the check was personally delivered by Valdez, his wife, and their daughter to Newey’s doorstep, capturing the heartwarming moment on Twitter. The caption read: “89-year-old Derlin Newey started delivering pizzas to make ends meet. He never thought one of his customers would change everything.”
In the surprise video, Newey, living alone and unfamiliar with TikTok, was genuinely taken aback. Emotionally moved, he struggled to express his gratitude, saying, “How do I ever say thank you? I don’t know what to say.”
Both the Valdez family and Newey were inspired by the generosity of the community, with Newey noting, “There’s hope!”
Valdez, reflecting on the experience, remarked, “This couldn’t have gone any better. He needed this. 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.”