Because the state of Washington abuts the ocean, its climate is fairly rainy with its mountainous region seeing snowfall outside of the winter season. Sometimes the temperatures in this picturesque state can become quite chilly during the winter and with all that persistent moisture, the weather can feel downright frigid.
Parents bundle up their precious little loved ones when they head off to school. But occasionally, kids forget or lose their hats.
Sadly, some kids cannot afford the proper winter gear they need to stay warm on the way to school. When a little boy trudged onto driver John Lunceford’s bus, his heart broke.
The tiny student had tears streaming down his face. John took a quick glance to see what was wrong with his upset passenger.
The boy’s hands and ears were beet red because they weren’t covered up while he was waiting for the bus to arrive in the freezing temperatures. A U.S. Army veteran, John jumped into action.
He recalled:
«I put my gloves on him and told him it’ll be OK, it’ll be OK.»
After delivering his precious cargo to their school, John headed straight to the local dollar store. He was not going to let any of his students be that cold again.
John bought 10 stocking hats and 10 pairs of gloves in both black and pink. Then he returned to school with his purchases.
He wanted to make sure the little boy on his bus had warm apparel, so school administrators helped track down the student. They found him in the library and there John was thrilled to hand him a hat and a pair of gloves.
On the Kennewick School District’s Facebook page, John explained his reasoning.
«I’m a grandfather, you know. No one wants a kid to suffer like that.»
Then John announced in the library that any of the kids on his route that needed hats or gloves should let him know. He promised to help them out, too.
«There was a little girl who said ‘I don’t have a hat,’ and I said I’ll take care of you, sweetie.»
After John’s generous gesture to help his pint-sized bus passengers, the school district set up a website where others could donate to the cause.
What a kind bus driver! Since John’s story was posted on the school district’s Facebook page, it has been shared more than 3,400 times.
