In one neighborhood, hundreds of cars lined up to show support, and the unexpected gesture left everyone’s favorite UPS driver in tears!
Anthony Gaskin is the driver’s name. And he has been receiving praise in the neighborhood of Hallsley in Chesterfield County, Virginia.
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"Through COVID, Anthony has continued working. Delivering packages at our doors, record numbers of them, over 180 times to date," neighborhood resident Patty Friedman, wrote in an email.
"I wanted to thank him personally for how much he helped me feel welcome when I moved in during a pandemic. It was terribly lonely and he was always the highlight of my day. Mentioning this to a few people and the response I got was all I needed to know I was not alone."
Patty was so grateful for her favorite UPS driver. She and a neighbor worked together to come up with an idea. They would find the perfect way to show their appreciation.
They made the arrangements and enacted their plan on December 15.
“Arriving on bikes, on foot, and in more than 75 cars, hundreds of Hallsley residents lined the road and waited for Anthony to turn the corner," she said in an email.
"A humble man, he needed to be coaxed, but eventually, he slowly drove his truck down the road while children and adults held up signs, screamed his name, honked their horns, and rang bells."
Adding more joy, Anthony’s supervisors showed up too. They had gifts to offer him.
So many people were happy to celebrate the man and had kind things to say.
“Sometimes he is the only outside face we see during the day. We appreciate his hard work and dedication during the pandemic, which delivered food, supplies, and even holiday gifts to a high-risk family,” one neighbor said.
“He makes you feel like a friend when you see him, he brightens our day, whenever he drops off a package, which is frequently at our house! He stands out from all other delivery drivers and we love him! Cheers to Anthony!” another shared.
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Unsurprisingly, Anthony was moved to tears. After he thanked everyone he went back to business as usual. Now, he will work with the knowledge of all the good he is doing in the neighborhood. Even if he doesn’t say it, deep down he knows he’s their favorite UPS driver.
h/t: Facebook
Featured Image Credit: Lexi Hanrahan/Facebook
Get in touch with him at aarondanthony.com and check out his debut short story anthology Honey Dreams on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.