Tauranga teen's kind act goes global

Te Riina Takamore pictured with the iPhone that prompted her random act of kindness. Photo: Vicki Takamore/Facebook

A Bay of Plenty teenager has won global praise online after a video of her buying groceries for a complete stranger went viral.

The gesture was carried out by 13-year-old Te Riina Takamore at the Gate Pa New World in Tauranga.

Te Riina's mother Vicki Takamore filmed the act of kindness before posting it on her Facebook page, and has been overwhelmed by the response.

The teen's good deed was inspired by a gesture of another stranger who gifted an iPhone 6 to Te Riina after initially agreeing to sell it to her.

Speaking to Maori Television's online news team, Vicki explained it began when she decided to buy the phone for Te Riina's birthday.

After paying for the phone, the seller's wife gave the money back and insisted she took it as a gift for her daughter.

'Te Riina was surprised, happy and amazed that something like that was happening to us,” said Vicki.

Such was the impact on her daughter, she decided to pay it forward while shopping at New World.

The recipient, a young father, told Maori Television: 'I was quite shocked, it doesn't happen very often that someone offers to pay for your groceries and it couldn't have happened at a better time."

He added he intends to pay the act forward himself.

”The way it made me feel and the way it could make others feel, it was overwhelming and I want to carry on the love,” he said.

Vicki admits it has been 'crazy” since the video went live, with likes, shares and comments of support pouring in from across the globe.

Gate Pa New World owner, Tony Ford, said the store was "given a buzz" when they spotted what Te Riina had done.

- newsie.co.nz

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3 comments

Wonderful story,

Posted on 22-04-2017 13:23 | By R. Bell

congrat's to Te Rina and all concerned.


Heart warming

Posted on 22-04-2017 15:43 | By my penny's worth

Well done Te Rina! May your kindness have a major ripple effect, where more people do the same for others. So lovely to see a young person showing kindness as well! :)


He whakaaro rangatira!

Posted on 24-04-2017 12:40 | By awaroa

.. luv it ..


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