Earlier this month, a Jacksonville Beach Publix grocery store employee became a sort of local hero.
He was caught on camera helping an elderly woman safely cross a busy intersection while carrying her groceries.
Now, he's being recognized for his actions by his entire store and honored by the city for going above and beyond.
It was just an ordinary day at Publix for Veance Pantfoeder - at least, he thought so when the day began.
"A bunch of familiar faces came in, [then] a bunch of familiar faces wearing suits, and I knew something was going down," Pantfoeder said.
What he didn't know was that everyone was there because of a random act of kindness he'd done for a senior customer. Someone at a stoplight filmed him helping 90-year-old Eleanor Cass cross the street, with her groceries in hand.
"I don't know what happened to me that day," Cass said.
Cass usually has someone take her to the store, but that day she says she tried to walk the eight minutes from her senior living facility on her own.
"I was lost," Cass said. "The mailman helped me find the Publix, and then Veance helped me home. He was so nice."
The video of Pantfoeder got over 50,000 views, and Jacksonville Beach's mayor Charlie Latham took notice.
"I was thinking if I had a son, I hope he'd do the same thing," Latham said.
Mayor Latham says the community took notice, too.
"I was also contacted by a lot of other councilmembers and people in the community and they wanted to do something," Latham said. "It just makes sense to recognize people who take the extra step to help our fellow citizens out."
So on Thursday morning, Pantfoeder was surprised with a gold coin from Publix, one of the highest honors of recognition from the company.
Mayor Latham also made an official proclamation honoring the entire store for being an exceptional corporate citizen.
'Today is officially Publix Supermarket day in Jacksonville Beach," Latham said.
"I am just in awe right now," Pantfoeder said.
Pantfoeder says Cass was in need and believes any of his fellow employees would have done the same thing.