Many of the men and women in law enforcement perform small acts of kindness each day, while receiving almost no recognition. However, every once in a while they’ll receive a special “thank you” that makes their hard work all worthwhile.
One day sergeant Wayne Faircloth of Asheboro, North Carolina was out on his regular patrol when he came across a broken down school bus on the side of the interstate. When Wayne stopped to see how he could help, he discovered the bus was filled with students from the Exceptional Children’s program at a Randolph County school.
The kids were on their way to a Special Olympics event when suddenly their bus shuddered to a halt at the side of the road. The kids were scared and cold, so Wayne jumped into action.
Wikimedia Commons
Ever prepared, Wayne went to his patrol car and got out some blankets that he keeps there for emergencies. As the children wrapped themselves up in the warm blankets, Wayne was surprised by how much joy and comfort this small act had brought them.
“The little kids were just all excited about their blankets,”he told KHOU.
After seeing how much happiness the blankets had brought the children, Wayne decided to take his kindness a step further. “I went back to my car and got some stuffed animals out, you know, gave them that, and they were just overwhelmed,”Wayne said.
KHOU
Once the transport company arrived with a new bus for the kids to use, Wayne assumed that was the end of the story… but the kids and their teachers had other plans!
Later that week, Wayne arrived at work to find a fat envelope with his name on it. Inside the envelope were dozens of thank you cards written by the students, thanking him for his efforts to keep them safe and comfortable during their hour of need.
KHOU
Wayne was overwhelmed by emotion as he read each card. For him, this token act of kindness was just “all in a day’s work,” but knowing what an impact he’d had on those children meant the world to him.
“To see kids react, a lot of times you don’t know how to take it,”he said. “So for them to do this means a lot to me.â€
KHOU
Wayne says he plans to keep the letters in a special box that he uses to store notes from civilians. “If I’ve made a difference in one of their lives, I’ve done my job,” he says simply.
Well done, Wayne! The world needs more of this sort of kindness! Please share this story to inspire kindness and compassion every day!
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.