Brighten Your Day

After Winning A Car, Chick-fil-A Employee Gifts It To Co-Worker In Act Of Kindness

February 8, 2021

A 17-year-old Chic-fil-A employee in Wisconsin won a new car at a company Christmas party raffle, and gifted it to her co-worker who needed it more.

Credit: Haley Bridges and Hokule'a Taniguchi

Haley Bridges' friend and fellow Chick-fil-A employee, Hokule'a Taniguchi, 19, was commuting to work in the Wisconsin winter by bicycle.

"I was biking here every morning, so it was a little rough," Taniguchi said. "Because I'm from Hawaii, I was like, 'It's kinda cold!'"

But the fiercely independent Hawaiian native braved through it. She may have underestimated the hearts of her fellow coworkers though.

"It was kinda like the rumor at Chick-fil-A that there's gonna be a car at the giveaway," Bridges said. "We all put one in and we're like, ‘If one of us gets it, it's gonna go to her, like no matter what.' It was not a second thought."

When Bridges heard her name called as the winner of the car, she said the moment was surreal.

"My heart felt as if it was racing and we both stood up and ran to each other. Everyone in the room felt like they were gone, it felt as if it was just us two in the moment. We hugged each other hard and cried so much. Everyone else was either crying or clapping. We all had a big group hug with everyone near us and it felt so unreal experiencing this."

Since receiving the car, Taniguchi's life has changed for the better.

"Now I can go grocery shopping. I can like go to work like five minutes before now, instead of like two hours earlier, just to get here on time," Taniguchi said. "There's a million more opportunities and possibilities for me now!"