Cara Simmons was a single mom living in Cleveland. She was 36 years old and knew that she had to keep her housekeeping job no matter what. However, she was surprised when she went to clean one home because it changed her life dramatically! What could have happened?!
Hard-working Mother of Three
Cara was a mom to three beautiful kids, going out of her way to provide what they needed. This required her to take many housekeeping tasks and never have a day off. While it hurt her health to do all that, she never gave up. Finally, it paid off.
Determined
Cara was a dedicated worker and mother. She often overworked herself and ended up hospitalized for exhaustion once. Still, the stress of the job gave her health problems, such as stomach ulcers. She couldn’t stop because she had to pay rent and care for her kids.
Good Work Ethic
This mom loved her kids, and they all enjoyed the short periods of time they got to be together. Cara worked for Maid Brite, which always had multiple assignments. In fact, the employer was impressed by Cara’s willingness and effort. Housekeeping is hard, but she was strong.
The Ordinary Day
It started as any routine day for Cara when she got her next assignment. However, she didn’t know it was about to change her life. She wrote down the address, preparing for another regular project. Then, she learned it was a celebrity’s home!
Meeting Madeline
Cara arrived at the house and met with Madeline Blue. Almost immediately, the woman told the housekeeper that the home was already cleaned. This caused Cara to become curious. The woman started explaining her needs, and Cara was slightly confused.
The Interesting Assignment
Once inside, Madeline told Cara that the owners needed to organize a party, and time was not on their side. Madeline hired her to help prepare the house, and that sounded fun. She agreed and met with Manny Slomovits, the famous chef.
Tasting Meals
Cara’s first assignment was fun. She had to taste everything the chef prepared. It wasn’t normal for her, but she was more than happy to do it. However, this was new, so she was slightly concerned.
Her Favorite Food
The chef realized how awkward things were and asked Cara about her favorite dish. She said spaghetti because her children liked it. Clearly, she always put her kids first. That was plain as day from her answer and for being in the house.
$500 Lobster
While spaghetti was her favorite meal, she wasn’t eating that today! Instead, she was feasting on South African Tristan Lobster with some basil oil and quail eggs mixed in. The dish cost about $500, and it was the most expensive thing she had ever tasted.
The Expensive Dessert
Lobster wasn’t cheap, so Cara never had it before. However, the dessert was white truffles with edible gold. This dish cost well over $4,000! She couldn’t believe it when the chef asked her to taste it. This must be a very important party!
Her Next Task
She found out the price after dining like royalty. Then, she had to see Madeline to find out what to do next. Cara was told to answer the door, and she saw two men setting up the reflexology station.
Unexpected Massage
Once the men were set up, Madeline asked them to get warmed up before the event. The only way to do that was to give someone a massage, and Cara was the guinea pig. She couldn’t believe her good luck, but she wanted to finish her job and didn’t complain.
Not Her Birthday
While she received her massage, Cara joked about it not being her birthday, so she wasn’t used to the lavish treatment. She couldn’t believe what her housekeeping job consisted of. Instead of cleaning, she felt like a princess!
Walk-in Closet
Cara believed that her massage was the best part of the day, but she didn’t realize what else was in store for her. The therapist finished, and she was called upstairs. Madeline led her to a room with a walk-in closet, saying that she had to get rid of some of that clothing.
Designer Clothes
Madeline told Cara to declutter the space by taking what she wanted! Cara didn’t believe this. She noticed designer jackets, shoes, accessories, and jewelry, and it was all hers for free!
Strange Delivery
After the shopping spree, Cara was told to answer the door. She guessed right that it was another pleasant surprise. The delivery man left a box that he had been holding. She wondered what was in it and didn’t have long to wait.
Her Stuff
Things got weird quickly when the box arrived. She was told to open it and saw her personal belongings. Now, she was slightly worried. Her items were in a box in a stranger’s house. What was happening?!
Confusion
Cara didn’t hide her concerns now. She stared at her things in disbelief, wondering why they had been sent here. The delivery man wasn’t done because he came back with another big box. She asked where it was from, but he didn’t answer.
Getting Weirder
Things unraveled quickly when the delivery guy explained why he was there. He said those items were for Ms. Simmons, who lived in that house. It was her name, but none of it made sense. Madeline then claimed that Cara was her boss.
Pranked
Understandably, Cara was confused. She was hired only to clean, and everyone was acting like she was the homeowner. The crew finally had to tell her what was happening. They were all part of a web series called Prank It Fwd. People helped others improve their lives and have fun.
Her New Home
This wasn’t a joke. The home was a present for Cara and her family so that cleaning job she took ended up being her turning point. She never expected to become a homeowner and thanked the team multiple times. However, she’s not the only one who struggled.
A Similar Situation
Another similar case happened to Tanna Marino. She and her husband, Michael, had four children and lived in Cypress, Texas. However, he was a firefighter and was gone most of the time. Therefore, she took care of her kids and worked full-time.
Mom of Four
Tanna didn’t get to spend much time with her children because she worked at Mr. Appliance as a technician. While her job and income were stable, she struggled to make ends meet financially. One day, she received a call that changed her life completely!
Strange Call
When the phone rang, she picked it up unknowingly about to get a life-changing opportunity. The voice on the other end said they were the television scout for a new reality TV show. Did she want to be in a pilot episode? Tanna was skeptical and couldn’t believe it!
The New Show
The scout claimed that they couldn’t reveal much about the show, but it was to be called “Don’t Quit Your Day Job.” Tanna was unsure but decided to go along with it all. It might help her family get back on their feet financially.
Agreed to Do It
Tanna agreed to do the reality show. She met the camera crew that first day, and they ended up following her around. In a sense, she was there to train Faith Brown. Therefore, she did what she had to do and didn’t think about the cameras.
Meeting Faith
Faith was an office worker, so she was overdressed to do technical work. Tanna thought she was an odd person for the show, but she seemed willing and ready. Therefore, Tanna decided to play along with it.
Training Patiently
Tanna knew that Faith wasn’t very experienced, but she tried to train her correctly. She walked the newbie through the routine, and the cameras followed the women around. Tanna thought it was all pretty odd!
Getting Along
Training took a few days, and women often like to talk. They worked well together, and Tanna was patient with the newbie. In fact, the camera crew saw them getting along and bonding. Finally, Tanna asked Faith to come over for dinner.
Visiting Tanna
Faith showed up on time to meet Tanna’s husband and four children. They were all healthy and happy, even though they struggled financially. Everyone welcomed her in with open arms, allowing the women to get close enough to admit personal details about their lives.
Personal Conversation
When the children fell asleep, the women stayed to talk in private. Tanna told Faith that money was a struggle, even with both parties working. It takes more than you think to feed and house six people. She worried that she might have to get another job and spend less time with the kids.
Sharing Her Struggle
Faith decided to share her own story after hearing Tanna’s confession. She had always had financial issues, even as a child. Her father was gone often. Tanna felt more connected to Faith after listening to her struggle, but she was shocked when she learned what the reality show was about.
The Last Task
Once the shooting was complete, Tanna was told to go to Faith’s house for the last segment. When she arrived, the new employee looked different with blond hair and a new hairstyle. Tanna wasn’t prepared at all for this surprise!
Her Real Name
Faith said that she was really Dina Dwyer-Owens, the CEO for Mr. Appliance. Tanna was completely shocked, so Dina explained further. She had wanted to spend time with the employee to learn about working at the store and find out more about the woman.
Undercover Boss
The television crew confessed that they weren’t part of the reality show. Instead, they were there for Undercover Boss, a popular series. Bosses wore disguises to spend time with their employees and learn more about them.
The Generous Reward
Dina had been impressed with Tanna’s personality and work ethic. Plus, her financial struggle story touched her. The CEO decided to give Tanna $5,000 through Women in the Trades. This organization helped women learn a trade skill and receive financial aid.
Scholarship Fund
Dina wasn’t done, even though Tanna was crying and moved by the generosity. She had set up a college fund with $10,000 so that Tanna’s kids could continue their education. That wasn’t even the biggest surprise!
The Biggest Surprise
The CEO then presented Tanna with a $25,000 check. The family could use it however they wanted, and Dina claimed it was a personal gift. This poor mom of four almost fainted because she was overwhelmed by happiness.
Interesting Outcome
Dina didn’t think she’d give away that much money when she started out on the journey. She had only wanted to learn about the employees by pretending to be one. However, she had to reward Tanna for a job well done.
A Valuable Experience
Both women found something to enjoy about the Undercover Boss episode. Dina learned about her employees and their personal lives, and Tanna got many gifts that changed her life. It was what both women needed!