A UPS driver in Virginia received a heart-warming surprise when he arrived to deliver packages in the Hallsley neighborhood in Midlothian, Virginia. On Friday, Dec. 18, WTRV reported details about the residents’ kind gesture toward their driver.
Anthony Gaskins has been dedicated to his job throughout the pandemic making important deliveries that are being described as “life-saving, both literally and figuratively,” according to Midlothian residents.
Patty Friedman, one of the residents in the neighborhood, submitted an email to the news station as she commended Gaskins’ commitment to his job. She also recalled how he personally helped her throughout this difficult time.
“Through COVID, Anthony has continued working, delivering packages at our doors, record numbers of them, over 180 times to date,” Friedman wrote in an email. “I wanted to thank him personally for how much he helped me feel welcome when I moved in during a pandemic. It was terribly lonely and he was always the highlight of my day. Mentioning this to a few people and the response I got was all I needed to know I was not alone.”
The entire Hallsley neighborhood decided to participate in a car parade. When Gaskins arrived at the neighborhood on Tuesday, Dec. 15, to finish his route, he received a big surprise.
“Arriving on bikes, on foot, and in more than 75 cars, hundreds of Hallsley residents lined the road and waited for Anthony to turn the corner,” she wrote. “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.”
To Gaskins’ surprise, his supervisor was also notified of the neighbors’ plans. He attended to present Gaskins with a token of appreciation. Needless to say, Gaskins was visibly moved by the kindness residents showed him.
