We love delivering uplifting and inspirational stories to our readers. This story touched our hearts, as well as the hearts of hundreds of thousands of other individuals online. Many people who witnessed what this anonymous man did were brought to tears by one simple, fantastic act.

Madison Sorrel, a young woman, decided to adopt a dog from the Tulsa Animal Welfare Shelter. The 20-year-old anticipated to bring home a dog, but she had no idea that a complete stranger who happened to be there would touch her heart.

Madison noticed a senior man approaching the shelter with a white plastic bag. When she realized why he’d brought the tennis balls, she snapped a photo with her phone and posted it. She instantly observed that the bag contained a large number of tennis balls.

“We heard that this man was distributing tennis balls in remembrance of a much-loved pet,” says the caption. I’m not sure what will if this doesn’t improve your day.

Madison’s tweet has been liked by over 200,000 people and shared thousands more times since her visit to the Tulsa shelter in early July. Many of the comments in reaction to the photo indicate how affected they were by the man’s selfless giving of the tennis ball to the shelter.

Madison stated, “I had no idea it would garner this much attention.”

Many of others who responded on social media, like Madison, had an immediate and emotional reaction to this man and his bag of balls. One person expressed their gratitude for the old man’s generosity to the shelter, as well as the effort he spent to gather them and travel to the shelter in the first place.

Madison provided the following rationale for her desire to publish the photo: “It’s a lovely message,” she continued. “At any age, you can volunteer or make a donation.”

The identity of the elderly man is unknown, but Madison stated on Twitter that he was shown the photo by a member of his family and is aware of the wonderful response to his nice gesture.

The Tulsa Animal Welfare Shelter confirmed both the man’s generous donation and Madison’s account of the occurrence. According to them, “[the man] donated the tennis balls in memory of a much-loved dog.”

In reaction to the picture’s tremendous positive reception, the animal shelter issued the following comment on social media: “We appreciate having donations from the community. Whether it’s food, blankets, or towels, every little thing helps. We get a lot of animals as a municipal shelter, especially this time of year. Donate to your local shelter!”

We’re always looking for extra volunteers if you can’t bring stuff, said a shelter volunteer.

With 6.5 million companion animals entering animal shelters in the United States each year, there is an undeniable need for volunteers and supplies.

Do you have any clue how many happy animals are presently at the Tulsa shelter as a result of that man’s generosity? It’s incredible how this man is honoring the memory of his deceased pet while enabling all of the other animals to enjoy playing with one of the balls.

Many people may be reluctant to express their grief after losing a pet because they want to keep all the memories to themselves. Instead, he realized that, while he couldn’t bring his beloved buddy back, he could still bring joy to other suffering animals.

Were you moved by this man’s kind act in memory of a dear friend? So, please spread the word!