Mom Gave Last $3 to Buy Old Skates for Son, He Won $130K Prize Wearing Them — Story from the Past

Hollie and her son, Max, always had each other's backs despite their struggles. Years later, Hollie's simple gift to her son would be paid back in a major way.

Since her youth, Hollie has always made sacrifices for her loved ones. Whether it was her family or friends, she always did everything she could to help.

When she met her husband, Joel, he had forgotten to bring his wallet to the gas station, and Hollie offered to help. Joel insisted on taking her phone number to make it up to her.

"It isn't a problem. Think of it as a small good deed." She insisted. Joel fell in love with her on the spot and decided to take a chance.

"Perhaps I could take you to dinner instead," He offered. Hollie couldn't help but blush as she accepted his offer. Joel took Hollie to a restaurant and shared a chicken pot pie.

Hollie even learned how to cook the dish herself, and it became a tradition to share one once a month. The two shared a deep bond and eventually married and had a son, Max.

Eleven years later, Joel fell ill and was bedridden in a hospital for two years. Hollie spent all her savings on his treatment, but Joel's condition only worsened.

Hollie's bills piled up, and she lost her job as an office assistant due to her absence from work. She could barely make ends meet and struggled to pay for Max's school fees.

Max had also begun to show athletic talent and participated in various sports. Hollie could see her son's potential but felt embarrassed because she couldn't afford the best for him.

She needed government assistance, food stamps, and help from her family & friends to pay for essentials. Hollie spent day & night in the ward with Joel. As his condition got worse, Joel began to prepare for the worst.

"You remind me so much of your father."

"You've given so much for me. I'm sorry I couldn't do the same for you." Joel told her. "You've given more than enough in love," Hollie replied.

Joel eventually passed away due to his condition, with both his wife and son with him at his bedside. Due to Hollie's unpaid rent and hospital bills, she and Max moved into a shelter while she looked for work.

Max realized that his mother was struggling to cope. Joel had been there for Hollie so long that the two became inseparable.

While Joel was sick, he couldn't earn any income, leaving Hollie to carry most of the financial burden. Although Max had only just turned 13, he felt the need to be there for his mother.

Having lost his father, Max decided to take on more responsibility. He consoled his mother as she grieved her husband's loss and helped her to apply for jobs.

"We always take care of each other in this family, no matter what."

Max excelled in class despite his living situation, achieving straight As at school. His friend Mikey told him to get a paperboy job to make extra money.

While Max couldn't afford a bicycle, he was determined to find a solution. He found rollerblades in a lost and found bin and decided they would have to do the trick.

"You remind me so much of your father," Hollie told her son. She couldn't help but notice that Max was the spitting image of Joel. Hollie struggled to find a permanent job and worked odd gigs to help out financially.

Although Hollie and Joel both came from poor backgrounds, their families were happy to help when they had the means. "We always take care of each other in this family, no matter what," Joel's mother, Angela, said.

Angela suggested that Hollie apply as a temp so that she could make money in the meantime while she searched for something more stable.

"Leave it to me. Max is getting those darn skates."

While the money wasn't great, it was a huge help. Working as a temp, she found work as a fundraiser, a grocery bagger, and a ticket seller. While working as a ticket seller, she came across a flyer for an upcoming event.

Max entered the competition in the under-14 category, and much to his surprise, he recognized a familiar face. His friend from school, Mikey, was competing against him.

The two easily dominated in their age category, with Max narrowly beating his friend to take first place. As the prizes were handed out, Max walked over to Mikey to offer congratulations.

"Nice race, buddy," Max said, offering to shake hands. Much to his surprise, Mikey ignored him and skated away. The two quickly went from friends to rivals, challenging each other at every turn.

Both managed to compete at the state and regional competitions, constantly challenging each other for first place. Max continued to skate his paper routes to earn money, as traveling to competitions also came at a cost.

"You've always had my back, and I'll always have yours."

Max and Hollie still lived paycheck to paycheck despite earning extra money from competitions. Luckily, they had made enough money to afford a small apartment.

Between work, competitions, and school, they spent time together. But they always shared a chicken pot pie every month to remember Joel. As Max began to outgrow his rollerblades, he struggled slightly in competitions and repeatedly asked his mother for a new pair.

Hollie had recently gotten a permanent job as a waiter in a local restaurant. But even then, she and Max were spending every dime to pay their rent and bills.

She secretly went with Max's grandma, Angela, to a flea market with the bit of money she had. They managed to find a pair that looked to be in good condition. The only problem was the price tag.

The dusty brown pair of roller skates were going for $5.00, but Hollie only had $3.00. "Leave it to me. Max is getting those darn skates." Angela insisted. She then managed to haggle the price down, and they got the pair with Hollie's last $3.00 for the month.

When Max returned from his paper route and opened the door to the apartment, he couldn't believe his eyes. On the floor sat a pair of roller skates. Even though he could tell they were secondhand, they were his favorite brand of skates.

"Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me, mom! I promise I'm paying you back when I make it," He said excitedly.

"My boy, you don't owe me a dime. Just go out there and do what you do best. You've always had my back, and I'll always have yours." Hollie told her son. Max became determined to become a professional speed skater and trained even harder every day.

After making waves on the amateur circuit, Max prepared for his first professional tournament four years later. $130 000 was the grand prize, and he was determined to win it for his mother.

His rivalry with Mikey has become heated as the former friends still work out at the same local gym and often compete in the same competitions.

While he no longer works as a paper boy, he now has a job as a courier and, following a recent raise, has purchased the best pair of roller skates on the market.

The tournament was being held at the same arena where Max first competed five years prior. He arrived early in the morning to get a feel for the circuit.

He left his rollerblades in the locker room while he shared a pre-race meal with Hollie and Angela, who had come to support him. Max happened to see Mikey warming up on the track two hours before the start of the race.

Shockingly, Mikey was wearing Max's new pair of roller skates. Max ran to check his locker, only to see that Mikey had indeed stolen his pair.

Max realized that time was running out, and with so much money up for grabs, it might be too late. He felt defeated in the locker room, reminiscing about his mom buying him his dusty brown roller skates years ago.

Wait, that's it! He thought, realizing that he still had his old pair. With 90 minutes to go before the race, he had enough time to rush home and pick up his old pair. "Where are you going?!" Hollie asked, noticing her son running out of the locker room towards the entrance.

"Don't worry, ma! I'll be right back", Max shouted. Luckily, their apartment was only a few blocks from the arena, and he knew he'd make it back with time to spare.

Thinking he had gotten one over on his foe, Mikey smirked as he spotted Max leaving the arena. Much to Mikey's surprise, Max returned 30 minutes later in his old dusty skates.

"I know what you did, Mikey! But it won't matter." Max exclaimed as he skated onto the track. Moments before the race, Max found his mother and grandma in the crowd. He waved towards them and pointed to the sky.

They understood that he was dedicating to race to his late father. Max and Mikey were neck and neck with a lap to go, jostling for first place. Max sped ahead of his rival on the final turn and took the top position, only winning by a few feet.

Max was presented with the cash prize and immediately skated to Hollie and Angela. He handed his mother the cash prize of $130000, and the three shared a tearful hug.

"Hey, Max, can I talk to you?" Mikey asked as he approached the joyful trio. Mikey was holding the stolen rollerblades and appeared nervous.

"I want to say sorry for what I did, and congratulations. You're the real deal, buddy," He said as he tried to return Max's roller skates.

Max looked at his mother. Hollie appeared confused by the interaction but realized what had happened by looking at the dusty brown skates she had bought for he son.

After a pause, Max looked back toward Mikey, remembering they had once been friends.

"Thanks, buddy. But, you know what? You can keep them. I've got the best pair that $3.00 can buy. Besides, you're going to need those next time I see you on the track.", Max said.

Mikey shook Max's hand before leaving the arena, fighting back the tears as he regretted his actions.

Four months later, Hollie was getting ready to host dinner in her newly purchased home. It had been years since she had lived in a proper, free-standing house.

Max and Angela arrived at the front door holding house-warming gifts. "Chicken pot pie, anyone?!" Hollie exclaimed while grinning from ear to ear.

The three sat down to enjoy the family's favorite meal in front of a portrait of Joel in the living room."You'll never guess who texted me earlier today," Max said with a cheeky smirk.

"Remember the lost and found basket where I got my first pair of roller skates? The ones I had before the pair Ma got me?" Max asked.

"Well, Mikey donated the pair he stole from me to the same lost and found. He sent the picture to me this morning," Max said, laughing at the irony.

Hollie glanced at Joel's portrait and remembered how they met. "I'll tell you something I told your father once upon a time. 'Think of it as a small good deed," she told Max.

What can we learn from this story?

• A good deed goes a long way. Hollie & Joel's romance and beautiful family life all began thanks to her helping him when he was in need.
• Kill them with kindness. Even though Mikey stole from him, Max offered forgiveness and a life lesson in return.

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This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.