'He Was With Me': Late Dad Buys 21-Year Old's First Beer

TAUNTON, MA — Matt Goodman lost his father to cancer more than five years ago, but the dad made sure he would be around in some way to buy his son's first beer earlier this month.

John Goodman, Matt Goodman's father who died in 2015, left a $10 bill for the then 15-year-old to use to buy his first beer after turning 21.

Matt Goodman used that same $10 bill to buy the beer, a Bud Light, his father's favorite, according to a report from Boston 25 News.

“It was pretty awesome, actually," Matt Goodman told the news station. "It felt like he was with me through that whole thing. It felt like he was with me actually drinking a beer with me."

His second beer came courtesy of Budweiser.

"We're raising one to your pops, Matt," the beer company tweeted. "He got your first beer and the next one's on us."

The next 240, actually. Budweiser sent the 21-year-old eight 30-packs of beer in response to how widespread his story has gone.

almost 6 years ago before my dad passed he gave my sister this 10$ bill to give to me on my 21st birthday so he could buy me my first beer, cheers pops havin this one for you! pic.twitter.com/oaIulpEJTc
— Matt Goodman (@mattg12699) December 6, 2020

“I never expected it to blow up like this," Matt Goodman told Boston 25 News. "I mean it started and then just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger.”

Some have tried sending Matt Goodman money to buy him more beer, but he is directly people to donate to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, which treated his father, instead.

Casey Goodman, Matt Goodman's sister, described their father as a "goofy, larger than life of the party guy." She said the $10 bill was locked away in a closet for six years until her younger brother could use it.

“It was the best present I could ask for,” Matt Goodman said.

Read more via Boston 25 News