ROY — An 89-year-old Weber County man has become “TikTok famous” after a family gave him a big tip for delivering pizza.

There are as many places to get pizza as there are toppings. But when Carlos Valdez starts getting his craving, he chooses Papa John’s in Roy.

“I love pineapple on my pizza,” he said with a laugh. “That’s the only thing my wife loves.”

It’s not so much because they think it’s the best-tasting pizza in the area, but more because of the delivery guy.

The Valdezes have gotten to know Derlin Newey from his deliveries to their house.

“Hello, are you looking for some pizza?” is a phrase Newey uses every time he delivers a pizza.

“It’s insane. Everybody loves him,” Carlos Valdez said of 89-year-old pizza delivery man Derlin Newey on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. Every time Valdez and his wife order pizza, they ask that Newey deliver it. They also record his deliveries for their TikTok videos, which have become popular with their 53,000-plus followers. The Valdezes asked their followers to donate a little money to help Newey out if they could and raised $12,000, which they delivered to him on Tuesday. | Jay Dortzbach, Deseret News

Newey is always so kind, the Valdezes ask for him by name whenever they order. They also record his deliveries for their TikTok videos, which have become pretty popular with their 53,000-plus followers.

“It’s insane. Everybody loves him,” said Valdez.

One comment that kept coming up is why an 89-year-old man was delivering pizzas. A lot of people commented they felt sad for him.

“Somebody at that age should not be working that much,” said Valdez.

So, the Valdezes got an idea. Using their popular @vendingheads TikTok name, they asked their followers to donate a little money to help Newey out if they could.

They thought maybe they’d get a few dollars.

Instead, they got a lot more.

“Collectively as a TikTok community, we all came together, and we were able to raise $12,000 for this amazing person,” said Valdez.

Tuesday morning, the Valdezes went to Newey’s house to surprise him with a delivery of their own.

Carlos Valdez, accompanied by his wife and daughter, make a special deliver to 89-year-old pizza delivery man Derlin Newey on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. Every time Valdez and his wife order pizza, they ask that Newey deliver it. They also record his deliveries for their TikTok videos, which have become popular with their 53,000-plus followers. The Valdezes asked their followers to donate a little money to help Newey out if they could and raised $12,000, which they delivered to him on Tuesday. | Jay Dortzbach, Deseret News

“Good morning, dude! How you doing?” Valdez said when Newey opened the door.

He figured they were going to give him a T-shirt with the words “Hello, are you looking for some pizza?” on it. They brought the T-shirt, but he had no idea he was about to get a huge tip.

“We collectively collected a gift for you, and I’m here to deliver that gift to you on behalf of the TikTok community,” Valdez said.

Newey didn’t know what TikTok was.

“Is that an online group you communicate with each other through the telephone?” he asked.

What he did know, though, was what $12,000 looked like.

Even then, he still couldn’t believe it.

“How do I ever say thank you? I don’t know what to say,” Newey said with tears in his eyes.

Turns out, he lives alone in his mobile home and started delivering pizzas because he can’t afford his bills on Social Security alone.

“I work about 30 hours a week,” said Newey.

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Now, with this money from strangers, maybe he won’t have to work so hard.

“I don’t know what to say, except thank you,” he said.

It’s a delivery he never expected, proving being kind is priceless.

“This couldn’t have gone any better,” said Valdez. “He needed this. I’m just glad we could help him. We just need to treat people with kindness and respect the way he does. He stole our hearts.”

Pizza delivery man Derlin Newey, 89, gets emotional on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020, after customer Carlos Valdez and his wife made a special delivery. Every time Valdez and his wife order pizza, they ask that Newey deliver it. They also record his deliveries for their TikTok videos, which have become popular with their 53,000-plus followers. The Valdezes asked their followers to donate a little money to help Newey out if they could and raised $12,000, which they delivered to him on Tuesday. | Jay Dortzbach, Deseret News
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