Kentucky first grader Levi Carrier is no different.
Levi faced the disappointment of potentially missing a school spirit day. However, an angel in the form of Larry Farrish Jr., a school bus driver in Louisville, Kentucky, ensured that didn’t happen.
Larry, describing Levi as usually cheerful during their interactions, noticed a change one morning when Levi didn’t wave to him as usual. Instead, he found Levi sitting alone, visibly upset.
“On any normal day, when I’m driving up to the bus stop, Levi likes to wave at me,” Larry told Good Morning America. “He didn’t wave at me that day. I saw him sitting on the ground by himself.
“Any normal day when I’m driving up to the bus stop, Levi likes to wave at me,” Larry told Good Morning America. “This day, he didn’t wave me in. I noticed him sitting down on the ground by himself.”
When Levi got on the bus, Larry asked him what was wrong, and the student answered that he was upset because he didn’t have any pajamas for School Spirit Day. Turns out that was because Levi didn’t have a laundry room, meaning his mom, Jasmine Carrier, wasn’t able to wash him a pair.
“He looked at me and was crying, his face was full of tears and he said, ‘I don’t have any pajamas,'” Larry said. “It meant a lot to him.”
Responding with empathy, Larry took swift action. After dropping off his students, he bought two sets of pajamas for Levi from a nearby store. Returning to the school, he arranged for Levi to receive them, which made the boy’s entire day.
Recalling the heartwarming moment, Larry recounted how happy Levi was when he received the pajamas. “He hugged them and he said, ‘I have pajamas,’” Larry said.
Larry said he was moved to tears witnessing Levi’s joy, saying: “Something so little as pajamas made his world.”
When bus driver Larry Farrish pulled up to Levi Carrier Jr.’s bus stop, he saw the first-grader was upset. When he found out it was because Levi didn’t have an outfit for pajama day, he knew what to do. ❤️https://t.co/bbvVLjBXVl pic.twitter.com/fURJJBVIW4
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 16, 2024
Levi’s mom Jasmine was so thankful for the kind gesture, telling Good Morning America: “It’s amazing. You won’t find too many nice people out here.”
For Larry, the importance of making sure children feel included motivated his actions.
“I never wanted to see my student hurt because of something so small,” Larry said. “It’s the importance of being able to participate.”
