3-year-old loved greeting sanitation workers everyday—they surprised her for her birthday with an unforgettable gesture
When you have kindness to give, it has a beautiful way of coming back. Then 2-year-old Lena Riley was in awe of spreading her aura of love even with sanitation workers, per ABC News. The little girl would watch the Republic Waste and Recycling blue truck show up at her home in Henderson, Nevada, and would rush out to say hello. With this simple act, she started building a bond with the workers. When her third birthday approached, the men knew that they had to contribute to the girl’s celebration in a special way. They decided to use the “blue trucks” that Lena was so much in awe of to surprise her with something unforgettable.
Lena’s mom, Leslie, recalled how her daughter was fond of the trucks. The little girl found something wonderful in something so seemingly simple and common. It first began with Lena greeting the workers from her window. This soon progressed to taking baked goods for them regularly. "If she hears the truck outside and we don't have something to feed them with, she'll start to cry and say, 'We have to feed the blue trucks!'" the mom noted. These mostly included snacks or cookies made with love by the mom-daughter duo, CBS News reported.
Having “gotten to know them very well,” the little girl developed a bond with them in the purest and simplest way. “We know the regular guys by name and they always take time to come and say hello,” the mom recalled. One of the glimpses revealed the little girl standing with a pack of cookies and a tiny bottle of water as she waited for the workers to arrive. When her little heart shared so much love and kindness, the sanitation workers didn’t hesitate to repay her with the same amount of love when requested. Since Lena’s third birthday was during the pandemic, she had to maintain social distancing from friends and loved ones.
Nevertheless, they were determined to make it special and included the workers. A family friend asked the group whether they could parade with their blue trucks and wish the little girl and they obliged. Seven trucks showed up with flower cutouts, handmade banners and decor adorning the front. The most forward truck had Lena’s name on a big banner on the center of the bonnet. “I had no idea and I cried buckets when I kept seeing trucks coming out from the corner. It blew me away,” the delighted mom said. As the trucks honked out loud to let the birthday girl know they were there, it was a bright and beaming moment.
The girl was undoubtedly overjoyed to see the sanitation workers she loved stop by and wish her. The mom even took her out to the drivers to receive wishes. The little girl was also handed a bag with coloring books, a mug and a few other goodies from the drivers. Their little dose of kindness became a hope for many during the pandemic and today is a reminder that kindness always shines bright. "It's good to see a community coming together during a time like this. It was just the sweetest. Every truck that came around the corner, [I had] more tears,” the mom remarked.