More Good American Acts of Kindness

As the United States slides ever quicker into the abyss of moral decay thank God there are still folks out there like these people. Men and women who understand that life is bigger than themselves and act in a selfless manner. Stories like this make me think there is still hope for this country yet.

A naval officer who died while serving in Afghanistan is being remembered for his bravery by those who never met him thanks to a note left at a bar. On March 28, Bennigan's waitress Hannah Hobbs posted a photograph of a beer with a note that read, "In Memory of Lt. j.g. Francis Toner USN. Killed in action 27 March 2009, Baikh Province, Afghanistan. Non Sibi Sed Patriae. Not forgotten."

Toner and another soldier were killed when an Afghan soldier opened fire on four officers who were jogging along the perimeter of Camp Shaheen in Mazar-e Sharif. According to reports, the unarmed Toner verbally challenged the shooter and was gunned down. Toner's act of bravery distracted the shooter, which allowed another officer to seek help for the wounded. He was later posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest military decoration for valor. He was 26-years-old at the time of his death.

Hobbs said a man had come into the restaurant and asked to leave the beer and note at the bar for the rest of the day. However, Hobbs took the tribute to the fallen soldier to another level by taking a picture of the memorial and posting it to her Facebook account. She wrote, "I'm posting this pic so it can stay forever. So can I get some likes, people?" That is exactly what happened.

By Memorial Day, Hobbs's photo had received more than 1.2 million "likes" and had been shared more than 117,000 times! The gesture seems to be a growing trend over the past few years, with other bar patrons toasting America's soldiers in the same fashion.

Hobbs said it wasn't her intention for her personal gesture to go viral, but she wanted to keep the memorial tribute alive by posting it to Facebook. Hobbs said, "Several family and friends have served in the military, and I feel we don't do enough as a country to show our appreciation to those that put their lives on the line to keep us safe."

In response, Hobbs's employer started Bennigan's Wall of Heroes for customers to buy a beer and write a note to any former or current member of the United States military. The company also encourages Facebook posts to honor these heroes.

Through Memorial Day, the restaurant pledged to donate $1 for every photo to Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of U.S. service members.

Bennigan's is taking the kind gesture toward America's veterans one step further by offering a $10,000 discount to veterans who want to start their own Bennigan's franchise.