Patty Friedman moved into a new neighborhood in Midlothian, Virginia, in the midst of a global health crisis.
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Because most of her neighbors were self-isolating, the first few weeks there were incredibly lonely for Patty. That’s why she started looking forward to the brief interactions she had with Anthony Gaskins, her UPS delivery driver.
She said Anthony became “the highlight” of her day when he stopped by on one of his many deliveries.
More residents rely on him now than ever before, yet he has taken the extra work in stride and always has a friendly word for everyone whose path he crosses.
Patty began to think of Anthony as a hero, and when she mentioned him to her new neighbors, she found out that a lot of other people thought so too! Together, they decided to do something special to honor his hard work and positive attitude, so they threw him a parade!
“Even though his truck does not have sirens and his uniform does not offer added fire protection, Anthony Gaskins is considered a hero in the Hallsley neighborhood,” Patty wrote on Facebook. “Through COVID, Anthony has continued working, delivering packages at our doors, record numbers of them, over 180 times to date. I wanted to thank him personally for how much he helped me feel welcome when I moved in during a pandemic.”
On the day of the parade, more than 75 cars and hundreds of people lined the streets to wait for Anthony’s familiar brown truck to round the corner.
“A humble man, he needed to be coaxed, but eventually, slowly drove his truck down the road while children and adults held up signs, screamed his name, honked their horns, and rang bells,” Patty explained.
His UPS supervisors attended the event and presented him with a gift for his service, and Anthony was moved to tears by everyone’s unexpected kindness.
True to form, Anthony only stayed for a little while before getting back in his truck and continuing with the work at hand. It’s so important to recognize the everyday heroes who are keeping our society running in this uncertain time!
Share this story to thank Anthony for his kindness and dedication.
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