You can be on Entrepreneur’s cover!

'You Just Saved a Life': Kind Stranger Brings Starbucks Barista to Tears in Life-Changing Interaction One Starbucks barista was in for quite the surprise thanks to a kind customer who stepped up to help him.

By Emily Rella

entrepreneur daily
TikTok via @charlie
TikTok via @charlie

Cue the waterworks!

One TikTok user changed the life of a Starbucks barista in a TikTok video that has gone viral by shedding light on mental health struggles and the power of telling one's story.

TikTok user Charlie Rocket posted a video where a girl (who goes by @Perri on TikTok) and her friend are going through a Starbucks drive-thru and ask the barista, named Manny, what his dream in life is.

He tells the girls that he wants to buy a car, which will cost around $1,000.

Manny also says that he's been struggling with depression, and the driver tells him that she might "see him around."

Related: Viral Video Exposes Difference In Starbucks Workers' Salaries

The two girls then go and buy flowers and a toy car that they hide $1,000 inside before driving back to Starbucks to re-visit the barista and give him the surprise of his life.

@charlie Wow this made me cry. You never know what someone is going through #fypp #positivity #starbucks ♬ Lights Are On - Tom Rosenthal

"I never got flowers before," Manny says heartwarmingly before he opens the box with the money and instantly bursts into tears. "Today I had suicidal thoughts and didn't feel like waking up."

"You're so loved," Perri tells him. "Light will shine on your face again."

The heartwarming video has garnered a whopping 27.5 million views and over 5.7 million likes.

Users in the comments were blown away by Manny's honesty and Perri's kindness.

"You just saved a life," one TikToker wrote. "Kindness is key guys."

"He will never forget this moment," said another. "Bless him"

Hundreds of users wrote that they were "moved to tears" and "crying," prompting others to share their struggles with mental health and show their support for Manny.

Related: Starbucks Customers Are Furious Over Menu Item Shortages

"From someone who battled depression & anxiety," one user penned. "Thank you for fighting every day. I promise there's better days."

The TikTok account also posted a link to a fundraiser to help Manny with a new car.

"Manny is a Starbucks barista in high school facing a battle with depression and anxiety. He takes the bus to work everyday, because he doesn't have the financial means to afford a car," the fundraising page reads. "We started out the donations by giving him $1,000, but to get a good car we set a goal to raise him $10,000."

The goal of the page was set to $15,000, but by late Wednesday afternoon, had surpassed that by raising over $28,000 for the barista.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

'Wildly Inappropriate': Woman Says She Was Denied a Job Because She Didn't Wear Makeup During the Interview

Melissa Weaver was applying for a VP of HR job at a tech company via video.

Side Hustle

These Are the 10 Best States for Starting a Side Hustle, New Research Reveals

One side hustle might not be as lucrative as another — and location matters.

Business News

Uber Is Fixing One of the Biggest Complaints Families and Parents Have With the Company

Uber Car Seat is now available in New York and Los Angeles.

Business News

Founders of Companies Worth Over a Billion Dollars Have These Simple Things in Common

A new study found three traits that stood out in unicorn founders.

Thought Leaders

How To Improve Your Soft Skills and Emotional Intelligence in 7 Easy Steps

Using these simple but effective approaches will help a person in their business, life and relationships.

Business News

Dollar Tree Is Raising Its Price Cap to $7: 'The Macro Environment Has Gotten in Our Way'

The discount chain's cap was most recently raised to $5 last June.