An eight-year-old boy was hailed a hero after raising $70,000 for his Waffle House server after the child found out that he was living in a motel.
Kayzen Hunter, of Little Rock, and his family visit their local Waffle House on a regular basis, so much so that they've gotten familiar with the staff members that work there.
The second grader, who always orders his regular meal - hash browns and eggs - always asks to sit in the section where 29-year-old waiter Devonte Gardner is covering.
According to the Washington Post, the two often share high fives as well as jokes, which always makes the little boy's weekend.
"Devonte always treats everyone with kindness, and he always knows exactly what I want: hash browns with cheese and eggs with cheese," Kayzen told the outlet.
However, on one particular visit to the joint with his grandad, the eight-year-old learned that Devonte was going through struggles of his own after he asked the pair if they knew where he could get his hands on a cheap car.
Not only was the Waffle House employee walking several miles to work to support his wife and children, but he was also living at a motel after moving out of their apartment that had become infested with rats and contaminated with black mold.
Upon hearing of his situation, Kayzen immediately had an idea.
"He kept saying, 'We have to start a GoFundMe and help Devonte get a car,'" his mom, Vittoria, recalled. "He didn’t give up on it. He’s a kid with a big heart."
A few days later, Vittoria helped her son set up a GoFundMe in the hopes that it would help out their friend.
The target was first set to $5,000, but after the story was picked up by local news outlet THV11, donations increased and the young boy managed to raise a whopping $77,000!
And, of course, Devonte was left speechless upon finding out what his favorite customer had done for him.
"I started crying — I’d been quietly struggling and didn’t want to ask anybody for anything," he told the outlet, explaining that he used most of his tips to pay the $60 per day motel bill.
"We had to give up most of our belongings because of the mold, but we’re slowly working our way back," he said. "I love working at Waffle House because I have an opportunity to make people feel good every day.
"I love the people who come in, especially Kayzen. For this little guy to do this out of the kindness of his heart is really humbling," the Waffle House worker added.
Devonte's wife recently managed to get a job at McDonald's, so the couple tends to alternate shifts so that they could also look after their two daughters.
"Even when you can work double shifts, it’s hard to get ahead," he continued. "I’m thankful to have a job that I enjoy, but it’s hard to save enough to improve my family’s situation."
"It can really feel overwhelming sometimes."
Comments under the GoFundMe page description were highly positive, with many of Devonte's customers coming to his aid. Upon seeing the response, Kayzen was left excited that he had surpassed his goal to help his friend out.
"Devonte is a positive person who works hard to make everyone happy," Kayzen said. "Sometimes people just need a little help."
As per the Washington Post, the 29-year-old is planning on using the money to move his family into a safe, one-bedroom apartment and also get himself a set of wheels to get to and from work.
"I’m really touched deeply by it all," he added. "And as far as my little buddy goes, he’s my best friend for life."
A bit of kindness really does go a long way!
