A FedEx delivery driver’s commitment to following divine prompts transformed an ordinary workday into a powerful moment of comfort for a grieving stranger. Amanda Riggan’s decision to return to a customer’s home demonstrates how small acts of compassion can provide profound healing during life’s darkest moments.
Riggan balances two demanding roles: her day job as a FedEx driver and running “Hungry Heroes,” a mission dedicated to encouraging and thanking local heroes by preparing meals for them, as described on its website. Her dual commitment to serving others recently led to an unexpected encounter that she shared on her Facebook page.
An unexpected conversation on a routine delivery
During what seemed like a typical delivery route, Riggan encountered a woman checking her mailbox for the newspaper. The driver had two packages for the woman, and they walked up the driveway together, making conversation as they went.
When Riggan mentioned she’d enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s celebration and asked about the woman’s holidays, the response was heartbreaking. The woman, with tears streaming down her face, explained that her holidays had been difficult because her husband was battling cancer.
Riggan attempted to redirect the conversation before completing the delivery. The two exchanged names before the driver continued on her route, completing 20 additional stops.
Answering the call to return
Despite moving forward with her deliveries, Riggan couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to go back. This wasn’t a simple decision—returning would mean falling behind on her work schedule and potentially not finishing her route for the day. However, she felt a stronger calling pulling her back to the grieving woman.
Riggan says, “I stopped what I was doing. I went back to that neighborhood, and rang her doorbell, and asked her — she came down the stairs, she had tears in her eyes when she saw it was me, she smiled, and I said ‘Ma’am can I pray with you?’ And she just broke down. She came out on the front porch and squeezed me so tight.”
A message about taking action
The delivery driver has an important perspective for anyone seeking to make a difference in others’ lives. Riggan says, “The point of this is, is a lot of people want the Lord to use them, and for me — as an example, I pray every day for the Lord to use me, but when He’s trying to use you or when you feel that call, and that tug on your heartstrings, do you move your feet? Do you move?” She adds, “When you feel those tugs on your heartstrings, and you feel like you need to do this, stop and do it.”
Her story serves as a reminder that opportunities to help others often come during the busiest moments, requiring sacrifice and the courage to prioritize human connection over daily obligations.
WATCH: FedEx Driver Shares Powerful Story of How God Used Her on a Routine Route
