Good Samaritan leaves Wauwatosa waitress a $500 tip

WAUWATOSA (WITI) -- A restaurant server received a huge surprise on Tuesday, July 16th while working. In a stroke of good luck, Marleigh Fiedler, a server at Balistreri's in Wauwatosa, landed her biggest tip ever when Seth Collins sat down at her table during lunch hour.

Collins is a Lexington, Kentucky native who travels around the country to eat at local restaurants - and then tips the person serving him $500.

Fiedler was one of those lucky restaurant servers.

"I had no idea. I was so caught off guard," Fiedler said.

"It wasn't that busy at all," Fiedler added. "So I wasn't really doing well."

Collins' younger brother, Aaron, died mysteriously last year. In his will, he requested his family go out to dinner and then tip the staff $500. In an effort to fulfill his brother's last wish, Collins raised over $60,000 online and has been leaving these generous tips, once a week, ever since. He only goes to local restaurants - no high-end or chain restaurants and now, with all the money he has raised, he plans on leaving a big tip for a service industry member in all 50 states.

"I get to do this for hundreds of waiters and waitresses and impact thousands or millions of lives," Collins said.

Fiedler, who said she is using the $500 for her college books, is grateful for Collins' generosity.

"I was speechless and I was really taken back and really just appreciative," Fiedler said.

Collins is currently documenting his journey fulfilling his brother's last wishes with a national crew. This Friday, he will be leaving a $500 tip to a server in St. Paul, Minn.