Bus driver picked up kids in the morning but didn't reach the school — parents were stunned when they learned about his plans
Kindness done wholeheartedly is often remembered for years. A prominent example is Wayne Price, a bus driver at Montevallo Elementary School. The man selflessly got into the Christmas spirit back in 2018 by offering an unexpectedly wholesome gesture for his students, per TODAY. The kids were picked up for school but didn’t arrive by their scheduled time. Unexpected changes and a heartwarming response left the students smiling and the parents stunned. Price woke up one December morning as usual to get ready for pickup. He received a message that due to bad weather, school was delayed.
The driver realized that the delay meant students would not receive their morning breakfast as they usually do. A spokesperson for Montevallo had told the publication that 75 percent of students were part of the National School Lunch Program, where they would have received meals for free or at reduced prices. The delay meant that this majority would probably have to skip a meal that day. According to the School Nutrition Association, one in five students in the American household doesn't have access to consistent and adequate meals. These kids eagerly depend on the school meals to fill their tummies and sustain them throughout the day.
Price was aware that many kids would have to skip breakfast that morning because of the delay and came up with a wholesome plan. The man drove the school bus at the usual time and made a stop at a McDonald’s outlet. He got the usual biscuit for himself, but also took note of the kids who would later be on the bus. He picked up one biscuit for each student and made his way to the stops to pick the students up. "When I got to McDonald's, I asked the manager, 'Can you turn around 50 biscuits in 15 minutes and give me as good of a deal as possible?' He gave me a dollar deal and we just turned it around," Price mentioned.
When asked what urged him to take the thoughtful call for the students, he said, "I'm driven by faith and Christ.” As the kids hopped on the bus, they were stunned to hear Price ask them, “So, what do ya want? Sausage? McMuffin?" The kids ate heartily and didn’t go hungry that day — all because of this kind-hearted bus driver. Allison Campbell, Principal of Montevallo Elementary, was aware of the plight the kids would have gone through and appreciated Price’s gesture. "For a lot of students, that means that they won't get to eat. It speaks volumes of [Price's] character that he was attuned to that,” she remarked.
Speaking of his kids, the driver noted that they deserved the love. “I got some sweet kids and I get really attached to them ... they were appreciative. I got lots of fist pumps, lots of high-fives, lots of 'Love you, Mr. Price,' lots of 'Thank you, Mr. Price,’” he recalled. Thanking him for his heartfelt example, the school posted, “What a kind act that our students will forever remember! Thank you, Mr. Price, for making a lasting impact on the lives of our students!” In a note, it was mentioned that the U.S. division of McDonald's rewarded the driver for his selflessness. They sent him a handwritten thank you note, a $100 Arch Card and a $1,000 Visa gift card. Furthermore, the restaurant's owner and operator, Jason Black, gave Price coupons to feed his class again the following year.