Law enforcement stepped in when they encountered a pizza delivery driver who was tipped only $2 after braving a snowstorm in a wealthy area.
Recently, large portions of the United States have been gripped by freezing temperatures, but service workers continue to fulfill their duties.
In Indiana, Connor Stephanoff was spotted trudging through harsh weather conditions in Brownsburg with pizza in hand, ready to deliver to customers.
According to video recorded by Lieutenant Richard Craig of the Avon Police Department, the Rock Star Pizza employee initially drove to make the delivery but had to walk the rest of the distance due to a school bus accident blocking the snow-covered street.
https://www.tiktok.com/@username/video/7458528700187839775
Lieutenant Craig was present to assist locals in navigating the road and advised the delivery driver to prioritize his safety.
Stephanoff informed the officer that he had traversed the snowy conditions to complete a $40 delivery.
“Did you get a good tip?” Craig inquired, to which Stephanoff responded, “Two dollars.”
Surprised by the response, the officer exclaimed, “Two dollars? Are you kidding me? Cold-blooded! Two dollars. Look at this man. This man walked through hell and high water to deliver a pizza.”
In the description of the TikTok video that went viral, Lieutenant Craig offered further details on the incident.
“It was the beginning of his shift at 4:30 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, BUT he was determined this family got their pizza,” he noted.
“This is in a more affluent neighborhood, and I’m sure he thought he would be rewarded properly for his RARE display of PRIDE and DEDICATION to his work- that is often times not seen by some of his generation.”
“But more so, he wanted to ensure this family got their pizza to their door! So they did not have to leave the confines of their warm, comfortable, AND VERY NICE home.”
Feeling compassion for Stephanoff, Craig personally handed him $15 and established a GoFundMe page.
By Saturday in January, the crowdfunding effort had exceeded an impressive $16,000.
Rockstar Pizza, Stephanoff’s place of employment, shared on Facebook: “I think what makes this story resonate is that at one time or another, any of us who has worked in a customer service position, has been Connor. We’ve gone over & above what anyone could ever ask of us, and the effort wasn’t appreciated.”
“If not for Officer Craig, this would have just been another delivery shift for Connor.”
“From the bottom of our heart, thank you for showing Connor so much love & support. You have no idea how much this positively affects his family.”