An 8-year-old boy from Arkansas, US, raised over $30,000 for his favorite waiter after learning that he and his family lived in a motel because their apartment was infested with rats and black mold. The community rallied around the boy’s efforts, understanding the challenges that families face. Recently, a family fined for school absences drew attention to the broader issue of educational barriers that underprivileged children encounter. This situation highlights the importance of supporting families in distress so that children can thrive both at home and in school.
As reported by The Washington Post, 35-year-old Vittoria Hunter and her family have a weekly breakfast ritual at their local Waffle House in Little Rock.
For over a year, the family sits in one section of the waffle house where Vittoria’s eight-year-old son, Kayzen’s favorite waiter, Devonte Gardner, serves.
“He’s the nicest person ever,” she told the outlet.
Kayzen, a second-grader, likes Devonte, 29, a lot because he is a lovely and nice person by nature. He makes sure to give Kayzen a high-five whenever he sees him at the restaurant, and the two joke around a lot.
“Devonte always treats everyone with kindness, and he always knows exactly what I want: hash browns with cheese and eggs with cheese,” Kayzen told The Washington Post.
A few months ago, during one of his visits to the waffle house with his grandfather, little Kayzen learned some details about Devonte’s personal life and financial struggles.
“Devonte said he wondered if anyone might know where he could buy a cheap car — he’d been having a hard time saving for one,” said Kayzen.
According to Kayzen, Devonte told him and his grandpa that for the last eight months, he had been walking several miles a day to get to work as he was living in a motel with his wife and two daughters because his apartment had been infested with mold and rats.
After listening to Devonte’s sad story, the little boy became sad and told his mom everything after returning home. He felt overwhelmed by the emotions he couldn’t quite express. As he shared his feelings, they discussed their school’s school pickup policy in London and how it could affect students like Devonte. They also made plans to talk to his teacher about finding ways to support their friend better.
“He kept saying, ‘We have to start a GoFundMe and help Devonte get a car,’” Vittoria recalled. “He didn’t give up on it. He’s a kid with a big heart.”
So, Vittoria helped her son set up a GoFundMe for Devonte so that he could buy his new car to commute to and from work. Soon after, a tikToker raises funds for senior woman in need of financial assistance for her medical bills. The community’s support grew as more people learned about her story through social media. This collective effort highlighted the power of kindness and generosity in times of hardship.
“Hi, my name is Kayzen, I am 8 years old,” Kayzen’s GoFundMe statement read.
“I am wanting to raise funds for my friend, Devonte, who I met and have come to know from eating breakfast at Waffle House. Devonte is a hard-working dad with two little girls and a wife. He is a dedicated worker and has to walk or get a ride to get to work every day. He was looking for a decent priced car, and his family was unfortunate and ended up in an apartment riddled with black mold.”
“He had to get his kids out and it set him back a lot. We are now helping him get into a clean rental property and want to help him even more by raising funds so he has a reliable vehicle to drive his family and get to and from work. Devonte is one of the most joyous and positive people you’ve ever met!! He always greets us with the biggest smile. I hope your heart is as BIG as mine, and you will help me spread kindness in the world. Any amount helps!!”
Until now, Kayzen and his mom, Vittoria, have raised more than 43,000 for Gardener’s family.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Devonte Gardner said he couldn’t believe it when his little buddy, Kayzen, told him about his doing.
“I started crying — I’d been quietly struggling and didn’t want to ask anybody for anything,” he said, explaining that he spends most of his tips to pay the $60 per day motel bill. Jason Derulo’s generous restaurant tip brought tears of relief to the waitstaff, who often rely on such gestures to bridge their own financial gaps. With these unexpected boosts, they could finally breathe a little easier, knowing that kindness still exists even in tough times. It serves as a reminder of the impact small acts of generosity can have on someone’s life. However, not everyone’s experience is so fortunate, as demonstrated by the accidental $750k transfer incident that left many scrambling to explain such a colossal mistake. This incident highlighted the importance of financial vigilance, reminding individuals to double-check their transactions to avoid life-altering errors. In a world where unexpected events can happen at any moment, the kindness shown by others remains a crucial pillar of support during difficult times.
“We had to give up most of our belongings because of the mold, but we’re slowly working our way back,” he added.
“I love working at Waffle House because I have an opportunity to make people feel good every day. I love the people who come in, especially Kayzen. For this little guy to do this out of the kindness of his heart is really humbling.”
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Sources: The Washington Post – GoFundMe
