‘A heart of gold’ Chesterfield utility worker honored for act of kindness in drive-thru line
Calvin Godette: “A small gesture would go a long way.”
CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) - During the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday afternoon, a Chesterfield utility worker was honored for paying it forward in a Burger King drive-thru line to a stranger in need.
On June 1, Calvin Godette told NBC12 he decided to grab lunch after his assignments for the morning.
“I was going to Subway, and then God said go to Burger King,” Godette said.
This led Godette to the Burger King off Iron Bridge Road near the Chesterfield Government Complex.
When Godette was placing his order in the drive-thru, he noticed a car pull in behind him.
“When I saw her, it looked like she was very upset,” he said.
At that moment, Godette told staff members at the drive-thru window he would pay for the woman’s meal.
“A small gesture would go a long way,” he told NBC12.
Compassion to a total stranger, who turned out to be Denise Walters.
“Those few days leading up to June 1 were probably the hardest days of my life,” Walters told NBC12.
Little did Godette know this simple gesture would bring a ray of sunshine to Walters’ darkest days.
Walters was going to her husband’s funeral after he passed away just days before.
“It just touched my heart so that someone would take the time to do something like that for me,” said Walters. “Some people just think, oh, it’s such a small gesture. It made me feel like there was a light at the end of the tunnel.”
This act of kindness motivated Walters to find the person who paid for her meal.
“I was a woman on a mission,” Walters told NBC12. “I was going to make sure that this man was recognized.”
With help from the phone number on his truck, Walters’ search led her to find Calvin.
“Being able to put a face with the name that I heard and get a hug from him was unbelievable,” said Walters.
“You can’t change the world, but you can change situations,” said Godette.
Calvin’s good deed was recognized by the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors, where Walters also shared her version of the act of kindness.
“Keep living your good life, Calvin,” said Walters during the meeting. “You’re a true blessing.”
During the meeting, Walters gave Godette two Burger King gift cards to continue paying it forward, but Godette had another act of generosity up his sleeve.
Godette presented an envelope of money to Denise so she could buy flowers for her husband’s gravesite.
“It just sums up exactly how I feel like he is,” said Walters. “He just has a heart of gold.”
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