Everyone just loves Darrel McNeil, the garbage man who spreads joy all along his route. And the mom of two of his biggest fans found a special way to say thank you!
Every week, Allie Albright and her two toddler boys, Bodhi and Carden, wait on the porch for a chance to say hi to the garbage man.
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“We usually start camping out at around 8:30 a.m. waiting for him,” Allie explained. “I’ve got my coffee out there and we’ve got our trucks and we just wait for him.”
And that's because Darrel McNeil is just one of those people whose joy is contagious.
He goes above and beyond all the time in his job. He's been known to do yardwork for his customers, free of charge. And at Christmas, he goes out and buys 2,000 cards so he can hand them out to everyone on his route.
“I just love doing my job," the garbage man says. "I love my customers with all my heart, I really do. I’ve been doing it for 24 years."
Darrel has won over the dogs on his route by regularly showering them with treats.
"The people call me the biscuit man," he said. "I go to the store, I buy dog biscuits about every week no matter how much it costs."
The garbage man has also won over the hearts of the Albright family, especially toddlers Bodhi and Carden.
“Aww man, the kids love the truck man,” Darrel explained. “They like for me to come through and hit the horn.”
Certainly, the little boys are intrigued by the large trash truck. But that's not really what won the family over. It's Darrel's upbeat attitude and the time he takes with them.
“Mr. Darrel, Mr, Darrel!” Bodhi and Carden yell when they see the garbage man headed their way.
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Darrel is always joyful. He takes the time to say hello and has even stopped to give the toddlers a tour of the truck.
Seeing how much it pleased them, Darrel even came back another day with toy trash trucks that he bought from the store for the boys. The garbage man even through in coupons for ice cream!
“For him to take that extra step to go, in his free time and with his own money, buy the boys a truck was just incredible,” Allie Albright said.
Darrel McNeil is such a blessing to his customers. So, the Albright family wanted to find a way to bless the garbage man. So, one day, they had him come by the house so they could surprise him.
With the help of a local news station, Allie and her boys presented Darrel with a restaurant gift card and $300. And the act of kindness completely caught the garbage man off guard. In fact, the humble man tried to refuse the gift at first!
“I was surprised man, it shocked me,” Mr. Darrel said. ”I wasn’t expecting that I really wasn’t.”
Of course, this Good Samaritan doesn't do what he does for gifts or praise. He does it to honor Jesus!
“As long as the Lord gives me the strength to get up every morning, to go to work, and to come out here and do it, this is what I’m going to do,” Mr. Darrel said.
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What an inspiration for us all!
"And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men" Colossians 3:23
h/t & Featured Image: NBC 12
Mel is the senior writer for GodUpdates, finding, writing and sharing Christian, uplifting, and health-related stories from around the world. Mel has a passion for writing and graduated with a degree in English from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. When she’s not researching and writing stories, Mel is very active in her church. You can usually find Mel playing board games with her husband and two young girls, giving someone a hug, or hunting down a good cup of coffee!