After losing his fantasy football league, Atlanta’s Michael Carsley had to face his punishment of 24 hours in his local Waffle House.
And for every waffle he ate, he would be allowed to leave the restaurant one hour early.
When he hit the six-hour mark, Carsley had eaten enough waffles to free himself but before he left, he did something that left his server in tears.
Keep reading to learn what happened at the Waffle House!
Punishing the loser of a fantasy football league is equally as important as rewarding the champion, which adds to the competitive spirit of avoiding a last place finish.
Unfortunately, for Michael Carsley, his 2021 fantasy football bracket came in dead last, and he had to accept his punishment, reminding members in the league that losers are painfully rewarded.
Facing his punishment, the Atlanta man entered a Chamblee, Georgia Waffle House and prepared for his potential 24 hours of torture, a sentencing he could reduce by one hour for every waffle he ate.
The kick-off
Live streaming the challenge on social media to share with the public, Carsley made the most of the award he was given for having the worst fantasy team in his league.
Becoming well acquainted with his server Mosammat Shumi, the 35-year-old man, who works as an account manager with a roofing company, started his challenge at 10:30 a.m.
“He told me, ‘I have to eat 20 waffles.’ And I said, ‘Are you sure?’” said his server, who at the time worked at the restaurant chain for 11 years.
Carsley “had the first seven down in 23 minutes” but the next few hours wouldn’t be so easy.
Last quarter
Oftentimes dunking the doughy breakfast treats in water to help him swallow, Carsley managed to eat 18 waffles in six hours.
And though the Facebook video shows he was eager to leave, the man was still in great spirits.
“Are you sure you don’t want another one?” a friend can be heard joking from the other end of the table, where the camera was placed. “Let’s keep going, this is fun.”
“I got through about nine and I had zero hope,” Carsley says after gulping down some water.
Then, Shumi brings him a last coffee along with his bill.
“By the way, this is not fake at all, this is not a joke,” Carsley tells his server as he scribbles on the bill that totals $49.58.
He then flashes the receipt in front of the camera for his audience to see that Shumi was getting a generous gratuity of $1,040 for a total amount of $1,089.5.
End game
That day, Carsley was doing more than facing his punishment.
By live-streaming his challenge, he was also hosting a live fundraiser for Shumi’s benefit. By the end of his gruelling six hours at the restaurant, Carsley had collected more than $1,000 for his sweet server, who championed him through his struggles at the table.
Returning the bill to Shumi, he says, “I wanted to give you this and to say thank you very much.”
The speechless server, who at the moment isn’t visible in frame, is heard reacting to the receipt with audible shock.
“Thank you very much,” she says as the camera turns on her. Before breaking down in tears and hiding her face with her hat, she adds, “Oh my god, really? Are you for real?”
“We wanted to do something impactful for someone today,” Carsley tells her.
“I can’t believe this,’ she says, overcome with emotion.
Days later, speaking with CNN, Shumi was still overwhelmed by the kindness: “Once in a lifetime…I don’t how to explain it. There is so much happiness.”
Sharing the video on Facebook, Carsley thanked everyone who contributed to Shumi’s gift.
He writes, “Today was nothing short of incredible. I appreciate and am thankful for everyone’s generosity. We raised $1,040 for our server, and the experience of watching her reaction was priceless…All of you made a huge impact today.”
‘Most miserable thing’
Carsley faced his punishment like a champ, and much like his future positions in the league, his relationship with waffles is uncertain.
“It was the single most miserable thing I’ve ever put my body through,” he said.
“I love waffles, especially from Waffle House,” he said. “But I don’t know if I’ll consume another waffle again.”
Still, he admits he would “do it again…The punishment was absolutely horrible, but it was more worth it than anything.”
What a great way to turn a loss into a huge win! Please let us know what you think of this inspiring story and share it with your friends so we can hear what they have to say!
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