HERMITAGE, Tenn. (WKRN) What started as a kind gesture at a Hermitage drive-thru has led to a connection that’s filled not only stomachs, but also so many hearts.

For Heidi Goforth, it all began as a trip to get breakfast for her son.

“When I pulled up to the first window the guy said, ‘The lady in front of you paid for your breakfast and she wrote you a note and wanted me to give it to you,'” said Goforth.

Emilly Lopez was working that morning, helping this good Samaritan.

“I see so many faces, but I remember that she was super sweet,” said Lopez. “She was like, ‘I’d like to pay for the car.'”

With the good deed she just received, Goforth was ready to pay it forward to the car behind her.

“When he handed me the note, I just busted out crying,” said Goforth. “I almost couldn’t compose myself to drive up to the next window and get my food.”

The note was handwritten on her receipt from fellow mom Caryn Hill.

Hill’s message read, “My son is in the Air Force. I can’t buy him breakfast so I bought yours. Have a blessed day.”

“I was just so grateful that someone had that big of a heart to even want to do something for someone, even though it’s that small, but just the gesture,” said Goforth.

Goforth shared the note on Facebook, which has since gone viral.

“The wording of that note,” she said. “When she said she wanted to buy breakfast because she couldn’t buy her son breakfast, it was just an automatic feeling of pain, yet happiness, do you know?”

Turns out, the two mothers bonded over more than just their sons.

Goforth also had a brother in the military. He committed suicide.

Lopez was the one to prepare and hand Goforth her order.

“I cry over everything,” said Lopez. “So I was just handing her the order and you see her just shock. It was such a nice thing that day.”

But that was just the beginning of the giving chain.

Following Caryn and Heidi was a line of at least 20 other folks who also paid it forward and Emily said turns out, it happens pretty often.

“There’s a lot of very nice people in this area and they do not get to be seen very often and when they do show up, your faith in humanity is restored,” said Lopez.

Hill’s son graduated from Basic Military Training on Thursday.