Woman Helps 97-Year-Old Walking Alone in the Heat. Then Uncovers Surprising Link to Her Late Father (Exclusive)
After a tense morning in June, Estrella Quiroz set out for a quiet lunch to clear her mind.
On the way, she noticed an older woman walking in the heat and, although it wasn't something the Miami-native had done before, she felt compelled to offer the woman a ride and some food from Wendy's.
What began as a spontaneous act of kindness led to an unexpected friendship, and despite their age difference, 29-year-old Estrella and 97-year-old Lilian discovered a surprising connection neither of them saw coming.
'In the car she was like, 'Why are you taking me?' And that's when I was like, 'you remind me of my grandma,'' Estrella tells PEOPLE exclusively. 'If that was my grandma, I would 1000% want a stranger to do the same – a nice stranger.'
While driving Lilian to run errands, Estrella was surprised to learn that she is a former accountant who lives alone on government assistance and relies on public transportation to get around.
'She's very savvy. Even after we pulled out of Wendy's, and I was going to drop her off at home, she was literally directing me,' Estrella recalls. 'She was very aware of where I was driving…I was really impressed by her sharpness.'
Estrella just so happened to capture their first encounter. Although it was her first time vlogging and showing her face on TikTok, Lillian was a natural in front of the camera.
'I did reels with voiceovers, but never with my face,' Estrella explains. 'So I posted [the video] just on a whim, and then overnight it went viral, and the next morning people were asking how they could support [Lilian], and so I opened a GoFundMe with the goal of making $5,000.'
In less than 10 hours, supporters had raised over $8,000 to help Lilian with food, bills, and a new walker, as the majority of her social security checks go towards rent, with very little leftover for herself.
At the time of publication, the GoFundMe has raised over $22,000. 'It was beautiful to see people still overpouring in Lillian's cup,' Estrella says. Even Wendy's sent her a gift card.
'I don't even think she understands,' Estrella admits. 'I tried to explain the virality. I tried to explain a video. She was super confused.'
Despite this, Lilian was visibly grateful for the support, as seen in a follow-up video where Estrella gives her an envelope full of cash.
However, of everything Estrella learned about Lilian that day, what struck her the most was the fact that she was from the same city as her late father.
'She was born in León, Nicaragua, and that surprised me because my dad passed away, and he's currently buried in León, Nicaragua,' Estrella reveals. 'It's not the capital. It's not a popular city at all. So it was very surprising.'
When Estrella was just 17 years old, her father was deported to Nicaragua. Three days after her 18th birthday, the 50-year-old collapsed while getting off a bus and died alone in the hospital.
In the days leading up to his death, Estrella's father left her three voicemails, which she didn't listen to until after the grim news.
'My dad left me these voicemails, and he tells me that he hopes a million angels look after me, and that he loves me,' Estrella recounts. Since then, she's felt a deep sense of guilt for missing his calls, not knowing they would be his last.
But the voicemails he left behind became a quiet source of comfort – something she could return to. In time, they helped her find a new sense of direction and meaning.
http://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf
In college, Estrella decided she wanted to see the world and, despite not having the money, she made it happen through credit cards, scholarships, and loans.
'I'm the daughter of immigrants. So you grow up with having very little, and so there's a lot more gratitude with everything that you do get,' she explains.
After visiting 45 countries, she met her co-founder, who helped her create Last Farewell – a company incorporated in June 2024, whose 'mission is to leave no words left unspoken' through planned last messages and personalized memorial pages.
'Being a first-time founder has been terrifying, but I think about my dad and I think about the courage he had and my mom, how resilient she's been,' Estrella said in a video on her company's website.
"I feel self-called to it because I know the words that my parents have left behind are so meaningful to me. And my dad – penniless – left something that has impacted me so greatly.'
During her travels, Estrella met strangers who opened up their homes and hearts to her – small acts of kindness she plans to pay forward. 'And even if it's not money…if we have nothing. Well, at least we can give our energy to someone,' she says.
Estrella believes her father deeply influenced her generosity – growing up, he gave all he could, and she feels a responsibility to do the same.
'I really do think Lilian was an angel in my life, a living angel,' she tells PEOPLE. 'I just think she came at the right time.'
Estrella didn't expect a random day in mid-June to carry such weight, but the encounter ended up changing the course of both her life and Lilian's.
Since giving the 97-year-old a ride, Estrella has remained committed to checking up on her new friend and has even offered more rides to strangers in hopes of making a small difference in people's lives, just like Lilian did in hers.
Read the original article on People
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