We can’t escape it anymore. It’s officially winter, and temperatures are dropping across the country. In Kennewick, Washington, temperatures have been hovering around 20 degrees, sometimes dipping into the teens as the high for the day. Last week, a school bus driver in Kennewick saw a 6-year-old student boarding his bus with no hat or gloves. He must’ve lost or forgotten them somewhere, and after waiting for the bus in freezing temperatures, the student’s hands and ears were bright red and he was crying.
“I put my gloves on him and told him it’ll be OK, it’ll be OK,” says John Lunceford.
In a Facebook post on the Kennewick School District page, they explained that his good deed didn’t stop there. After he dropped off all the kids at school, he went to the dollar store and bought 10 hats and gloves. Then, he went back to the school.
“He didn’t know the student’s name so he had an administrator help track him down. They found the boy in the library with his class and Lunceford handed a hat and pair of gloves to him.”
Lunceford is a U.S. Army veteran who has been driving busses for the district for three years. He told the others students in the library that “if they were on his route and didn’t have hats or gloves, he’d take care of them.”
“I’m a grandfather, you know,” Lunceford says. “No one wants a kid to suffer like that.”
Lunceford’s incredible act of kindness quickly went viral. The Facebook post now has over 13K likes and 2K shares. Over 1K comments praised his generosity.
“Thank you for your service and your kind heart,” writes Cyndi Beauchamp-Ray.
“Bus drivers are the best! They are the first and last to see their kids every day! They care and get them safely to school every day. Tremendously skilled, caring professionals who have my utmost respect!” comments Susan C. Silva.
“This is a true everyday hero. Thank you,” Barb Myers writes.
Lunceford’s wife, Debi, also commented on the post to add her perspective and clarify that her husband didn’t want to tell the world about his good deed for his own recognition, but the school district asked to recognize him.
“Many, many bus drivers, school employees, etc. do this every day because these kids are important to them,” she writes. “My husband is just one of thousands across our country who are there to help. Kudos to all the givers of this world!”
She thanked everyone for the tremendous positive support that they’ve received, and encouraged others to “pay it forward” and spread the good deeds to others in their own communities.
So many people could use a little extra help this holiday season, and every day. Lunceford showed us that it only takes a few minutes to make the biggest difference for someone, but it can spread like wildfire.