A generous stranger’s simple act of paying for a family’s dinner at a Wichita taco restaurant has sparked a wave of gratitude across the community after the heartwarming story went viral on social media.
Jared, now known as the “Wichita Taco Hero,” handed the Shear family a $100 bill when they found themselves short on cash at Tacos TJ 664 during a payment system malfunction – creating long lines around the block.
The restaurant was only accepting cash as a result, and the family didn’t have enough money for their beloved shrimp tacos.
But when mother Calli Shear prepared to leave empty-handed, Jared stepped in. He refused their immediate protests, declined a Venmo payment, and insisted dinner was on him. But his generosity didn’t stop there.
“When we gave him the change back, he walked to the line and tipped the staff,” Travis Shear recalled. His mother added that she “couldn’t believe that strangers like that exist anymore.”
Facebook Post Leads to Local Hero
Determined to thank their benefactor, Calli posted Jared’s photo to the Facebook group Wichita Food & Booze, asking if anyone knew him. The post quickly went locally viral.
“There are some incredible people in this world. Seriously,” she wrote.
Local news station KWCH tracked down Jared to learn what inspired his spontaneous good deed. His answer revealed a lifetime of gratitude.
“When I was a young man, I grew up poor,” Jared told the news outlet. “A family took me in when I needed it the most. They ended up finishing raising me until I turned 18 and moved out on my own. If they wouldn’t have ever done that, I never would be in the place I am today, and I, frankly, wouldn’t be able to help somebody out like that. I owe everything to them.”
Restaurant Honors ‘Taco Hero’
When Tacos TJ 664 learned about Jared’s kindness, they presented him with an honorary certificate as the “Wichita Taco Hero” and awarded him free tacos for the rest of the year.
“We just wanted to thank him, really, cause I think he deserves it,” said Priscila Camacho, the restaurant manager. “Even though he probably wasn’t intending for it to have the impact that it did.”
