Patrick Mahomes Tips a Waiter $10,000—The Reason Why Will Make You Cry

A chance encounter at an upscale Kansas City steakhouse. A mysterious envelope with a life-changing tip. A note that simply read, “Sometimes the smallest kindnesses matter most.” When Marcus Reyes, a 43-year-old waiter at Plaza Prime, served football superstar Patrick Mahomes one ordinary Tuesday night, he had no idea his life was about to change forever.

The $10,000 tip Mahomes left behind seemed completely random—an inexplicable act of generosity from a celebrity known for his competitive edge more than his sentimentality. But nothing about this gesture was random. The connection between these two men stretched back 25 years to a hospital room where a dying boy, a grieving college quarterback, and a devoted brother shared a moment of genuine humanity that would echo across decades.

Marcus Reyes rubbed his tired back as he prepared for another busy night at Plaza Prime. After 15 years of waiting tables at the famous Kansas City restaurant, his body reminded him daily that he wasn’t getting any younger. At 43, the long hours on his feet were taking a toll, but he never complained. Plaza Prime was the best restaurant job in the city, and the tips kept his family afloat.

“Hey, Marcus, you’re taking section three tonight,” said Tammy the hostess as she checked her tablet. “Looks like a slow Tuesday so far.” Marcus nodded, secretly relieved. Slow nights were easier on his knee—the one that still ached when rain was coming, a souvenir from his basketball days that seemed like another lifetime ago.

Plaza Prime had strict rules about appearance. Located in the heart of the city, the restaurant was a regular stop for celebrities, especially sports stars. During the Chiefs’ playoff runs, the entire team would sometimes take over the back room to celebrate their victories.

“Heads up,” Tammy whispered as she passed by again. “Patrick Mahomes just called for a table. He’s bringing a small group.” Marcus felt his heart skip. Even after all these years, hearing that name brought a rush of excitement. Mahomes wasn’t just a quarterback—he was Kansas City royalty.

Forty minutes later, Marcus watched as the hostess led Mahomes and three friends to table twelve in his section. Even off the field, Mahomes commanded the room without trying. He wore a perfectly tailored suit that probably cost more than Marcus made in three months.

Marcus gave them a few minutes to settle in before approaching the table. He’d learned that celebrities appreciated being treated normally, not fawned over. Taking a deep breath, he walked over with four waters and his best professional smile. “Good evening, gentlemen. Welcome to Plaza Prime. My name is Marcus, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight.”

Mahomes looked up, and Marcus was struck by his eyes. They weren’t the fierce, competitive eyes he remembered from countless Chiefs games. They seemed tired, maybe even sad. “Thank you, Marcus,” Mahomes said with a nod. His voice was quieter than Marcus expected.

Throughout the meal, Marcus provided perfect service—water glasses never less than half full, plates cleared promptly, new silverware for each course. Mahomes mostly listened as his companions discussed business, occasionally nodding or offering short responses. He ordered the bone-in ribeye, Plaza Prime’s most famous cut, but barely touched the sides.

When it came time for dessert, Mahomes declined while his companions ordered chocolate cake to share. While serving the cake, Marcus accidentally bumped Mahomes’s water glass, splashing a few drops on the tablecloth. “I’m so sorry, sir,” Marcus said, mortified.

“Don’t worry about it,” Mahomes said, moving his napkin to cover the small wet spot. There was unexpected kindness in his voice that made Marcus look up. Their eyes met briefly, and Marcus saw something in Mahomes’s expression—a flash of recognition, perhaps, but then it was gone.

When the bill came, Mahomes’s companion reached for it, but Mahomes intercepted it. “I’ve got this one, Andy.” He handed over his black card without even looking at the total. As the men prepared to leave, Mahomes hung back while his companions headed toward the door. He pulled an envelope from his suit jacket.

“Marcus,” he said quietly. “You provided excellent service tonight.”

“Thank you, sir. It was my pleasure,” Marcus replied, standing straighter.

Mahomes held out the envelope. “Don’t open this until after I leave.”

“All right.” Marcus took the envelope, confused but nodding. “Of course, Mr. Mahomes. Thank you.”

“Sometimes we cross paths with people for a reason,” Mahomes said, his voice so low Marcus barely caught the words. Then, with a final nod, he turned and walked away.

Marcus slipped the envelope into his pocket, assuming it contained the kind of generous tip celebrities sometimes left. Maybe $100 or even two. Mahomes had always been known as a big tipper, one of the reasons servers at Plaza Prime hoped to get his table.

As he cleared the dishes, Marcus couldn’t shake the feeling that something strange had just happened. Why had Mahomes singled him out? And why had those eyes seemed so familiar in their sadness? He finished cleaning the table, reset it with fresh linens, and continued with his shift, the envelope burning in his pocket like a mystery waiting to be solved.

In the breakroom, Marcus hung up his apron and sat down heavily. Carlos, another waiter, asked, “So, what did Mahomes give you?” Marcus pulled out the envelope. It was cream colored and heavy, made of expensive paper. He carefully opened it. His hands froze when he saw what it contained.

The check was made out to Marcus Reyes for $10,000.

“Holy—” he whispered. “What is it?” Tammy asked, coming closer. Marcus handed her the check, his hands shaking slightly. Her eyes widened. “$10,000? From Mahomes?”

Marcus shook his head, still stunned. “Nothing. I just served his table like any other.” He reached back into the envelope and found a small note card. On it was written: Thank you for your service tonight. Sometimes the smallest kindnesses matter most. —PM

Marcus read the note three times trying to understand. What kindness was Mahomes talking about? And why him?

That night, Marcus called his wife, Sophia. Their daughter, Lucia, had been fighting juvenile arthritis for three years. The latest treatment her doctor recommended cost $7,500, and their insurance would only cover a small portion. They’d been saving for months, still far short.

“He wrote a note saying something about small kindnesses. But I didn’t do anything special. I just did my job.”

Sophia started to cry softly. Not sad tears, but the overwhelmed kind that came when something seemed too good to be true. “Lucia’s treatment,” she whispered.

“I know,” Marcus said, his own voice thick. “This covers it with money left over.”

That night, Marcus couldn’t sleep. He kept seeing Mahomes’s eyes, dark and somehow familiar. There was a connection there, something just out of reach in his memory. He pulled down an old shoebox filled with mementos from his own college football days—photos, a jersey, and a hospital wristband that had belonged to his late brother, Mateo.

Twenty-five years earlier, Marcus and Mateo had spent long days at Children’s Mercy Hospital—Mateo fighting leukemia, Marcus, then a college walk-on, visiting every day. One afternoon, a young quarterback from Texas Tech, visiting the hospital on behalf of the team, had knelt by Mateo’s bed, signed his Chiefs cap, and talked football. Mateo had glowed with happiness.

Marcus had thanked the quarterback, telling him, “You made my brother forget he was sick today. That’s the greatest gift anyone could give us.” The quarterback had smiled, shook Marcus’s hand, and left.

Now, decades later, Marcus realized: that quarterback was Patrick Mahomes. The sadness in Mahomes’s eyes at the restaurant was the same he’d seen in the hospital all those years ago.

The next week, Marcus wrote a thank you letter to Mahomes, enclosing a photo of Lucia in her Chiefs jersey. He explained what the tip meant for his family, and thanked Mahomes not just for his generosity, but for the kindness he’d shown to Mateo so many years before.

A month later, Marcus received an invitation from the Chiefs: VIP tickets for his family, and a chance to meet Mahomes in person. When they met, Mahomes remembered Mateo, and the words Marcus had spoken all those years ago.

“Sometimes the smallest kindnesses matter most,” Mahomes said, smiling. “You helped me through a tough time, too.”

As Marcus watched Lucia run across the field, her joints already feeling better, he realized that kindness—no matter how small—can ripple across years, changing lives in ways we may never understand.

Patrick Mahomes Says He Won’t Be Joining His High School Class for Their 10-Year Reunion This Year

“I won’t be able to celebrate it but I’m gonna send my best wishes to all my classmates,” the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback tells PEOPLE

David Smith/CSM/Shutterstock

Patrick and Brittany Mahomes on the red carpet at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl ring ceremony.

Patrick Mahomes’ 10-year high school reunion is coming up!

While speaking to PEOPLE at the 2024 Super Bowl ring ceremony on Thursday, June 13 held at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Patrick, 28, revealed that later this year marks a decade since he left Whitehouse High School in Texas. However, he won’t be attending the upcoming reunion celebrations.

“It’s in September. We actually talked about this with my friends last weekend,” the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback tells PEOPLE.

David Smith/CSM/Shutterstock

Patrick and Brittany Mahomes on the red carpet at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl ring ceremony.

“So, it’s 10 years for me, she’s older than me,” the sportsman adds, gesturing to his wife Brittany, also 28. The pair are high school sweethearts, but Brittany was a junior while Patrick was a sophomore when they first met.

“She’s at 11 now. But, I won’t be able to celebrate it but I’m gonna send my best wishes to all my classmates,” Patrick says.

Kansas City Chiefs

Brittany and Patrick Mahomes at the Super Bowl ring ceremony.

Thursday’s event saw Patrick, who had previously been named the Super Bowl 2024 MVP following the Chiefs’ 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2024, and his teammates receive glitzy rings after their big win. Brittany also shared some sweet behind-the-scenes moments from the event on her Instagram Stories the same night.

This year’s Super Bowl achievement was Kansas City’s second consecutive win after they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles one year prior. With a new NFL season on the horizon, Patrick and tight end Travis Kelce, 34, have the opportunity to lead the team to their third championship in a row.

Brittany Mahomes/Instagram

Brittany and Patrick Mahomes throwback photo.

The June 13 ring ceremony comes shortly after the team visited President Joe Biden to celebrate their Super Bowl win at the White House. “The Kansas City Chiefs, the first team in 20 years to win back to back. I kinda like that,” Biden, 81, said.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty

Patrick Mahomes (L) and tight end Travis Kelce of the NFL Kansas City Chiefs present U.S. President Joe Biden with a team jersey at the White House on June 5, 2023.

“At last year’s White House Super Bowl celebration, I said this team was building a dynasty, which means everyone’s coming to you after starting this season, red hot, and you all had your share of struggles when the doubters question whether you can pull it off again,” Biden continued.

“Believe me, I dunno what that feels like, but anyway. Well, I don’t think anybody’s doubting you now. You fought hard, you kept the faith.”

The Chiefs received their Super Bowl rings amid the team’s mandatory mini-camp this week, which began on Tuesday and concluded on Thursday.

The team has some downtime now until training camp begins on July 23.