An Arizona delivery driver never expected that a note he left with a Chipotle order would lead complete strangers online to pay for his dream wedding.
Paul Slobodzian and his fiancé Aly Perkins had been delivering with Uber Eats for 18 months to save up extra money for their upcoming wedding, the couple told Fox 10 Phoenix.
But their financial situation changed entirely after delivering a meal to Erica Hernandez.
Paul Slobodzian and Aly Perkins had both been delivering food with Uber Eats for 18 months to raise money for their upcoming wedding when a viral TikTok post changed their financial situation entirely. (Fox 10 Phoenix / Fox News)
Only expecting her food, Hernandez said she was touched by the letter Slobodzan attached to the bag.
"Something along the lines of ‘Thank you for your order. I am driving on the side to give my fiancé the wedding she deserves,’" Hernandez said.
She was compelled not just to donate to the romantic delivery driver's cause, but to post his note on TikTok.
Paul Slobodzian left this note with a Chipotle order for Erica Hernandez, unaware that anyone but her would see the message. (Fox 10 Phoenix / Fox News)
"I just felt really inspired to post it and see if my friends would be willing to donate or any followers that I had on there to donate," she said.
Two hours later, the post went viral, catching Slobodzan's attention along with the eyes of 30 million users – now, the couple said, donations just keep coming in.
"I never set out to leave those notes with the intention of somebody making a video about it or even trying to broadcast it to anybody besides the person I was delivering to," Slobodzian said.
Erica Hernandez shared the note on her TikTok page. Within a week, it had accrued millions of views and reached Slobodzian. (Fox 10 Phoenix)
"Your phone just started blowing up," his fiancé Perkins told Fox 10 this week.
"Yes, seriously and honestly, it hasn't stopped since Friday afternoon," Slobodzian said. "It's been thousands of messages of people supporting us."
"We didn't really expect anything to come of this and the fact that a stranger got our note and felt so compelled to post it on the internet and advocate for two strangers is unbelievable," Perkins said.
In just a week, the couple raised enough for their dream wedding. Now, they are taking time off food delivery to be together before their wedding.
Slobodzian took to TikTok to keep users updated, telling them that they raised more than enough money for their wedding. They were in the final stretch of fundraising when the TikTok about his note went viral.
They also donated $1,000 of the money raised to Hernandez for her help and extended her an invitation to their wedding, which she gladly accepted, per the outlet.