Cayla Chandara relocated from California to Waikiki, Hawaii to attend college. In order to avoid falling on hard times because of the costs of school and the cost of living, she took a break from her studies.

The 21-year-old took on two waitressing jobs – one at a Thai restaurant and the other at The Cheesecake Factory – so she could keep up with her student loans and make ends meet. Her plan was to stash some money away so that she could return to school, and she was doing this for months.

She didn’t expect for some tourists to change her life. While working a shift at Noi Thai Cuisine, some guests visiting from Australia began chatting with Cayla. The group – which included a pair of friends and a 10-year-old little girl – asked her about Hawaii, what made her move there, and made small talk about her future plans.

After they left the restaurant, Cayla was surprised to find they left her a $400 tip on top of their $200 bill. She was incredibly moved. She remembered they mentioned the hotel they were staying in, so she sent them a thank you letter along with some flowers and a dessert.

But that wasn’t the end of the kind encounter. The next day, the lady and little girl came back to restaurant, offering Cayla $10,000 to pay off her student loans and the opportunity to help pay for the rest of her schooling. She told CBS News:

“I initially told them I couldn’t take that offer, but they insisted that it would be just as great for them to do it for me.”

“They have truly changed my life, not only financially but in the way I look at things. They are the most beautiful and kind-hearted people I’ve come across and I really look up to them and I can’t wait until they watch me graduate.”

Although they wish to remain anonymous, the couple has plans to return to Hawaii and Cayla plans to keep them in her orbit as she fulfills her dreams of finishing school. She is beyond grateful for their kindness and wants to remind people that there is goodness out there, and to always be genuine.

Are you choking up over this sweet story? Have you ever received a gift like this from someone – stranger or not?