Montevallo Elementary
A bus driver sacrificed some of his money to save the hungry kids from going hungry. He is a great role model for the kids who ride his bus and everyone around the world. Sometimes making sacrifices and sharing a bit of kindness is all it takes to make someone’s day.
During an unusually cold morning in Montevallo, Alabama, the school districts were forced to delay the school day by two hours due to the roads on the way to the school being iced over.
Not Everyone Got The Memo
Although the school system did send out a notice of the school’s delay, not everyone was fortunate to receive the news in time. This means some kids were already on their way to school. But the bus driver had their back and had a great idea on how to pass the time and make sure the kids were all right.
So he just went with the flow and did what every parent would do.
Mr. Price, the Bus Driver
Not only were a few of the kids uninformed of the delay, but the bus driver known as Mr. Price was unaware and went on picking up the kids who were unaware as well at the expected pickup time.
Little did he know at that time that it will change his life forever.
Waiting For Hours
Mr. Price realized that the kids on the bus would have to wait a few hours until the school was open, which wasn’t a good idea.
So he had to come up with a plan, but what’s best when it comes to a bus filled with kids? Keeping them on the bus would be a good idea.
What To Do During the Delay?
After realizing that school was delayed, Mr. Price didn’t have much choice but to keep the kids on the school bus. But he couldn’t just keep them there inside for all that time, so he had to think of something.
Keeping kids in a bus isn’t as easy as you’d think. He then realized something important was missing that morning. What could that be?
A Quick Stop
Mr. Price thought his next actions might not be in the job description. Would he get in trouble for it? He stopped the bus and checked his wallet. Mr. Price was checking how much money he had in his wallet and decided to make a quick pit stop on their way to school.
Was he going to get himself some food and leave the kids there?
To The Fast Food
Since school was already delayed, he thought why not stop and get something to eat? Was that a wise choice? He had no idea, but who would get hurt in the process? Mr. Price decided to swing the school bus by an affordable breakfast place.
But he didn’t do all of this for himself!
Breakfast For Students
Thinking that the kids might want to get some breakfast, Mr. Price went to get fast food, not for himself, but for the kids on the bus!
Considering the driver wasn’t a rich man, his intentions were pretty good.
Just Breakfast?
So, he knew what kids love and headed towards the closest McDonald’s.
Mr. Price bought everyone on the bus a breakfast sandwich, and everyone was happy. But the story is far from over.
Rich In Kindness
The kids on the bus were ecstatic when they realized they would be able to eat before school started – and it was a sandwich from McDonald’s! The kids were all very appreciative of Mr. Price’s actions, and one even commented that he must be “rich.”
But what happened next baffled everyone! Wait until you see how the school reacts. It wasn’t what everyone expected to see on the school’s Facebook page, a post that soon became viral.
The School Responds
The official Montevallo Elementary School Facebook page shouted out Mr. Price’s actions in a Facebook post by saying: *“Mr. Price, one of our bus drivers, truly demonstrates the spirit of Christmas! On Tuesday, when school was delayed due to icy roads, and we weren’t able to serve breakfast, he purchased biscuits from McDonald’s for his entire bus of students! What a kind act that our students will forever remember!”
The parents and the community responded fast to the bus driver’s kind actions.
The Community Responds
After a few community members saw the post, they wanted to say something of their own for Mr. Price. “I’ve seen this man give so much of himself to his community. I’ve experienced first hand the hope and guidance he brings to people who may not find it anywhere else. I’m glad he’s getting the acknowledgment he deserves,” a community member stated.
Parents also chipped in with many thanks!
Mr. Price’s Shock
Mr. Price responded that he wasn’t that rich, but materialistic things like money don’t matter when you can make the morning of an elementary school student's morning.
Mr. Price was surprised by the amount of support he got for his actions from the community. He explained he was doing it out of the kindness of his heart. The feeling of having so many happy kids around you and ready to go to school was the best ever.
Not Expecting Anything In Return
Mr. Price was simply doing what he thought was right and most likely wouldn’t have posted about it on Facebook if the school had not made an official statement. He wasn’t the type of person to brag about it, and we can all see it in his photos. That is what being humble is all about.
Here’s Mr. Price’s response to him becoming famous overnight.
The Christmas Spirit
This event happened particularly around Christmas, and it goes to show how far the holiday spirit can go. Mr. Price was feeling particularly festive that morning and decided to share Christmas's spirit with the hungry kids on his bus.
It’s not something you hear about every day, and it shows how much people care about the ones around them.
Mr. Price Responds
“When it came down to the financial side, it was just second nature. I did not think about it. I thought, hey, this would be neat. I bet they will like this,” Mr. Price told ABC. And little did he know that they’d enjoy every second of their short morning break from school.
And then, he even got a little bit famous, although that was not his intention at all!
Too Materialistic
Mr. Price also stated to ABC, “We get caught up in worldly things, even buying biscuits to a certain element is a little materialistic, but Christmas is giving. Christmas is showing love.”
His kind deed became so viral that former students (now grown-ups) have reached out and talked about their old bus driver.
A Student Responds
Elizabeth Lopez, who is now a bit older from when this happened, stated to ABC, “I was just so surprised that he did that. I did not think he was going to do it. I am thankful for having him as a bus driver, and he feels like a dad to me.”
The famous bus driver was interviewed and shared some more information about him, revealing his kindness.
Teaching A Lesson
Not only did Mr. Price give these kids free breakfast, but he was also able to teach the kids a lesson in throwing out their garbage afterward. He requested all the students throw out their garbage before getting off the bus.
Looking back at that morning, the bus driver explained in an interview that he was not rich, but "you sit there and think about it, you take your family out to dinner, and you can drop $50 going out to dinner, and it was nothing more than taking my family out to dinner."
Flying Under The Radar
Mr. Price stated, “I appreciate and thank you for all the kind words. I enjoy flying under the radar instead of on the radar, so it’s kind of awkward for me to see all these posts. I do have a genuine love for the kids on my bus. I was just taking care of my kids.”
The driver also said that he worked in ministry, but a friend convinced him to become a bus driver, and he did not regret his decision!
Teaching Others
Mr. Price has taught a valuable lesson in kindness that so many people can take with them in their everyday lives. He genuinely cares for the kids on his bus and enjoys his job.
“I was just amazed at how quickly I fell in love with the kids. I work with teenagers and college-aged students for most of the time dealing with youth ministry, but God developed a love in me for all the ages,” said the bus driver in the interview.
Making Sacrifices
Dr. Allison Campbell, the school principal, said Price was “an example and a testament to this community and the schools in Montevallo.”
Sometimes life calls for sacrifices, and for Mr. Price, this meant spending a bit of his own money to make the kids on his bus happy. We can all learn something from Mr. Price and make sacrifices when life presents them.