If a picture is worth a thousand words, a memory card packed with pictures is priceless. Just ask Anne Taylor.
She flew to Minneapolis on a special mission to photograph her niece’s senior pictures. When Anne landed, she knew she’d need to buy a memory card for her DSLR camera. But what she didn’t expect to capture was the selfless kindness of a Best Buy employee.
Finding the specific memory card Anne needed proved to be easier said than done. The Richfield, Minnesota, store located just down the road from the airport was sold out of the card at the time, and so were the nearest Best Buy stores.
Knowing that Anne needed the card that day — one with picture-perfect weather — camera department associate Victor Rivera Garcia was determined to help. He even searched some competitors’ websites, but they didn’t have what she needed.
So, Victor asked her to hang on.
“At this point I’m getting quite worried that the perfect weather for photos was going to be wasted. Then Victor did what was completely unexpected,” Anne said. “He told me to wait a second while he went to the back of the store where he kept his personal items.”
Victor, himself an avid photographer, returned with the memory card he’d used for his personal camera. It was a match to what Anne was shopping for, and he told her she could borrow it for the weekend.
“To say the least, Victor went way over the top, above and beyond for me, and he didn’t even know me or if I would bring his card back,” Anne said. “The photo shoot was a huge success because of the selfless service of an outstanding Best Buy associate.”
Focusing on what’s important
Victor’s manager, Heath Coffey, was excited to hear the story. “He has a big heart and creates some amazing experiences with our customers,” Heath said.
Victor’s own story is also worth noting. Nearly two years ago, he moved to Minnesota from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. The Category 5 storm flooded the second-story apartment where Victor, his wife and two children lived. The aftermath left them with nearly nothing.
Before the storm, Victor had owned his own photography, videography and social media business. His wife was a restaurant manager and sommelier. Both of their careers screeched to a halt as the island recovered.
In Minnesota, Victor’s family found a new home and welcomed a new baby, and Victor has found a job he enjoys because he gets to share his love of photography with people like Anne.
“I have been through a lot, and I had to start all over in a new place, but I am thankful for so much,” he said. “What I did for Anne is what I would want someone to do for me if I needed help like that.”
Anne is grateful to Victor for what he did. She went on to conduct the photo shoot, drop off Victor’s card back at the store and fly back home.
“Many kind regards and thanks to Victor for his exemplary service,” she said. “It will not be soon forgotten.”