New Jersey residents paying it forward to honor fallen Marine, FDNY firefighter Chris Slutman
CAPE MAY, New Jersey -- Residents at one Jersey Shore town are honoring fallen Marine and New York City firefighter Christopher Slutman with random acts of kindness.
Coffee Tyme says the touching moment happened at one of their Cape May stores over the weekend.
"One of our favorite regulars walked in to order her usual," the coffee shop wrote on Facebook. "I noticed it was taking her a little longer to order her drink, so I glanced over and saw that she was crying."
Jesse, one of the co-owners of the coffee shop, said he came over to make sure everything was alright. The woman handed him a postcard.
She explained that her best friend growing up recently lost her husband while serving Afghanistan.
Staff Sergeant Christopher Slutman, 43, was killed April 8 in a roadside bomb attack near Bagram Airfield, along with Cpl. Robert A. Hendriks, of Locust Valley, Long Island, and Sgt. Benjamin S. Hines, of York, Pennsylvania.
The woman said that when Slutman was with friends, he would always be the one to get different drinks -- like a big pink smoothie. So to honor the 43-year-old father of three, she is encouraging others to pay it forward.
"She wanted us to hand this card to them so they could also carry out a random act of kindness in his honor," the post read. "Throughout the day, this one beautiful gesture became something even more beautiful. We used this card and money for a young couple with a young baby. They were blown away by it and asked if they could pay it forward."
Jesse said a handful of people were touched by the initial gesture and continued to pay it forward over the weekend.
For 15 years, Slutman -- who leaves behind his wife, Shannon, and three daughters -- was part of Ladder 27 Engine 46 in the Bronx. He is also a lifetime member of the Kentland Volunteer Fire Department in Landover, Maryland.
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