I like to think people are good. And often, while writing up the news heroes willing to sacrifice themselves to save others prove me right. But the unexpected acts of tender kindness are also so important. We never know who we touch, and a world full of such acts would be a glorious place to live. Bus driver Larry Farrish Jr. of Kentucky is one of the humble heroes making this sort of world a reality.

Who	Larry Farrish Jr.
Where	Louisville, Kentucky
When	While driving his school bus
Why	Caught 1st grader Levi crying
What	Bought his student an outfit for pajama day

It started like any other work day for Farrish. He hopped into his Engelhard Elementary School bus and began his morning route, picking up students along the way. But when he got to his buddy Levi’s house, something was wrong.

Farrish said, “Normally when I pull up, he’s standing there waiting for me with a big smile, but on this day, he was sitting on the ground with a jacket over his head.”

When Levi realized the bus had arrived and climbed aboard, Farrish checked hin with him. “I asked him, ‘Hey buddy, what’s going on? What’s wrong?’”

Levi cried while he told Farrish that it was pajama day at the school and revealed he didn’t have anything to wear. Then he sat down away from his classmates in their fancy new matching pajama sets.

Farrish said, “I thought, ‘I gotta fix this.”

He dropped the students off at school. But instead of taking off when his shift was over, he drove to the Family Dollar store and bought Levi not one set of pajamas, but two. Then he took them to the first grader’s classroom.

“I said, ‘You were hurting this morning, you were crying, so I got you these pajamas…He was so excited — you should’ve seen how his face lit up.”

Levi was thrilled. “I can tell Mr. Larry is nice and his heart is filled with joy…When he got me the pajamas, I did a happy cry.”

Larry Farrish Jr. is a real Jack of all trades. He’s worked as a truck drive and even correctional officer. But the multi-talented man says he’s finally found his passion. “I’ve been driving buses for seven years. It’s my passion because I get to build bonds with the children…I truly love every minute of it.” 

The school posted the pajama story to Facebook and not only did it go viral, but the community gushed about Farrish Jr. Comments included,  “Larry is the absolute best and kiddos know they are in great, caring, capable hands with him!!!” and “Top notch human.”

Next read about the driver who saved her students from an exploding bus, or see Levi’s pajamas for yourself in the video below: