Lee Ballantyne lost his wife, Carol, just before New Year’s Eve. They had been married 43 years.
A week after her death, commencing with days and nights filled with many firsts, Ballantyne did something strangely novel: He ate alone at a restaurant.
At Cicco’s Ristorante north of Toronto, the widower saw something that brought memories of Carol flooding into his mind — a couple sitting next him who reminded Ballantyne of his marriage of nearly half a century.
“I just wanted to write what I felt at the time so I scrawled it on a napkin,” Ballantyne, 65, told “Today.” Here’s what the Barrie, Ontario, man wrote:
Ballantyne gave the note to the waitress and asked her to put the couple’s bill on his credit card. The waitress asked Cicco’s owner Lindsay Weiss to assist bestowing the note to the pleasantly surprised couple.
“They were beyond touched and grateful,” Weiss told Today. “I cried. The waitress and chef cried. It was one of the kindest gestures I’ve ever witnessed.”
Ballantyne got a phone call from one half of the couple he saw at Cicco’s, and the man expressed condolences to Ballantyne and said he and his wife would like to take the widower to dinner.
But the news spread farther than Cicco’s.
Several restaurant employees posted Ballantyne’s note on social media. It hit Reddit, and then the viral switch was flipped. His note has been viewed more than 800,000 times.
“It was just a simple gesture and it seemed like an ideal time to do that. I guess I had a selfish motive, I wanted to make myself feel good,” Ballantyne told “Today.”
“And it did for a while. It still does.”
Ballantyne said he’s happy “people got to know a little about Carol” — who was 62 when she died, having suffered from lung cancer and other health issues.
“My wife’s strength and joy of life is now known to millions of people just because of that gesture so I accomplished something there
Source: Today – Content Submission: The Wonderful Lucy Taylor
Kindness Blog 
Reblogged this on Serenity Does Exist and commented:
A beautiful story and a great reminder to not sweat so much on the little things. Appreciate every moment, every day.
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This brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart. I do hope he takes the couple up on the invitation to dinner, which may become a new friendship.
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Made me cry.
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Shouldn’t have read this while listening to Emeli Sande singing ‘Read all about it.’ Too emotional.
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This story makes my heart swell with love!
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I usually try to avoid commenting ( I kinda suck at it) but today is a new day and I have to tell you that I seriously love your blog! I love this story too, it gave me goose bumps 🙂
Awesome
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Thank you so much 🙂
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What a lucky man – not for losing his wife, of course, but because he had shared such a love with her for their 43 years. That’s a lucky man and a grateful man. Beautiful story.
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Reblogged this on Something to Stu (stew) Over and commented:
This story is so moving! It made me reflect on good strong marriages all day today. Young couples see an older couple still holding hands, hugging and kissing and go “Man, I hope we are like that as we grow old together.” And older couples look at newer couples and smile as they reflect upon their life together. Young married couples should try to find an older married couple and learn from them. Start asking questions as to how they have managed to stay married and in love all these years. Older couples should mentor newlyweds.
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This brought tears to my eyes,, but also joy to see a man so kind that in his heartache he thought of others:-) thank you for sharing + reminding us that there are wonderful happily m arried people in this world
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OH … MY … GOD. This story is so awesome. I love that fact that Lee was so touched by their relationship that it reminded him of Carol. What a great thing to do for someone else when you’re going through a tough time. High five to Lee for being a great human being.
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Usually when I start to read heart-tugging stories, I steel myself so I don’t cry. Didn’t work.
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A pebble dropped in the water sends out many ripples. What a beautiful small act which reflected a lifetime of love
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