Most of the time, people find themselves in careers that work with their own personalities and temperaments.
If you're friendly and optimistic, for instance, you may find your way into sales, while someone who likes to take care of others might end up in nursing.
Meanwhile, if you're a kind, responsible person who knows how to deal with kiddos and isn't easily startled, you might find yourself behind the wheel of a big yellow school bus!
That certainly seems to be the case for John Lunceford, who drives a school bus for the Kennewick School District in Washington State.
Lunceford, a popular driver, is also a veteran and a grandpa. In other words, he cares a lot about the kids on his route and does whatever it takes to help them out.
Fortunately, Lunceford was on duty on a bitterly cold morning in early December.
One of the kids on his bus was so cold from waiting at the bus stop that he was in tears of pain.
When Lunceford saw the little guy crying, he immediately leaped into action.
Scroll through below to learn more.
The Kennewick School District took to Facebook earlier this month to share a beautiful story about John Lunceford, one of the district's bus drivers.
The post went up on the district's Facebook page, where it quickly racked up 13,000 reactions and close to 3,000 shares.
Tons of impressed citizens commented as well, adding admiring notes.
"This world needs more heroes like this man," wrote one commenter. "God bless you sir."
Scroll through below to read the district's post in full.
Our staff members have big hearts and on Thursday one bus driver acted on his when he saw a student in need.
The student was crying when he boarded John Lunceford’s bus.
Lunceford noticed how red the student’s exposed hands and ears were after he’d waited for the bus in the freezing temperatures that morning.
“I put my gloves on him and told him it’ll be OK, it’ll be OK,” says Lunceford, a U.S. Army veteran in his third year driving buses for Kennewick School District.
Right after dropping his bus full of students at school, Lunceford headed to a dollar store.
He bought ten stocking hats and ten sets of gloves, in black or pink, and headed back to the school.
He didn’t know the student’s name so had an administrator help track him down.
They found the boy in the library with his class and Lunceford handed a hat and pair of gloves to him.
“I’m a grandfather, you know,” Lunceford says. “No one wants a kid to suffer like that.”
The onset of winter weather means families need to send their students off each day wearing heavy coats as well as hats and gloves or mittens.
Our staff are always willing to help families find any items they need.
The little boy won’t be the last student Lunceford helps out. He told all the students in the school’s library that if they were on his route and didn’t have hats or gloves, he’d take care of them.
“There was a little girl who said ‘I don’t have a hat,’ and I said I’ll take care of you, sweetie,” Lunceford says.
Even better, the Kennewick School District tells LittleThings that Lunceford's kindness has kickstarted a cold-weather clothing drive to help supply kids who don't have enough warm clothes with appropriate cold-weather gear.
If you'd like to help support this effort or just spread the word, you can check out the Kennewick clothing drive here online!
The district is matching all donations, so anything you give will be doubled!
Don't forget to SHARE this awesome story with friends and family in honor of John Lunceford, a true everyday hero!
