Random acts of kindness happen every single day, but what Sonya Romero does with her kindness goes beyond ordinary kindness, and it’s anything but random.
When the grade school teacher from Albuquerque, New Mexico, sees a student in need, she’ll stop at nothing to make sure they’re provided with food, clothing, and even emergency foster care.
Naturally, when Ellen Degeneres got wind of a reluctant hero with no limits, she knew she had to bring her onto her show.
Excited about the invitation to appear on the show, Sonya jumped on a plane and flew to Los Angeles for what she thought was going to be an informal chat about her life as a teacher…
…but, Ellen planned a surprise ruse that would leave the very embarrassed teacher confused and in tears.
And that was just the beginning of this unforgettable interview!
When they file into her classroom first thing in the morning, this Kindergarten teacher has only one question for her students, and it’s making national headlines for good reason.
“So, I ask my kids if they’ve eaten that morning.”
Sonya also asks if they need anything to wear, or need to brush their teeth and comb their hair. This loving teacher isn’t just an educator, but she’s also a self-professed first responder, too. Which is why she spends the first hour of the class ensuring that her impoverished students have their basic needs met.
Sometimes a child needs more than just clothing and food – they need a safe and secure play to call home.
When an emergency situation arose this amazing woman didn’t just ignore, she stepped in and took action.
Sonya’s proud son was in the audience, watching as his mother explained to Ellen how one Friday afternoon Child Protective Services asked her if she could watch over a couple of kids for the weekend.
“I said, of course, they’re beautiful children. We had nothing, so I sent my family out to get toothbrushes, jammies, underwear, and brushes.”
Those 48 hours soon turned into a week, then 6 months, and now Sonya is officially their foster mom.
Since Sonya had selflessly given of herself to her students, Ellen thought it would be fun to give something back.
She asked the teacher to watch the screen as camera crews filmed students at Lew Wallace Elementary School talk about their favorite teacher behind her back.
Sonya already had a wad of tissues in her hand and was in tears as she watched a sweet kindergartner named Marianna say:
“When we save we love her she says she loves us back.”
And, even though he’s no longer in her class, a 5th-grade boy still swings by just to say hi:
“I still visit her, just to like say hi and give her a hug. It makes me feel like comforted kind of.”
It’s obvious that the impact this teacher has had on her students is still felt years later, which is what having great educators is all about!
Sonya isn’t just an amazing educator, she’s also a very good person down to her very core. When a Good Samaritan gave her a $100 for all the wonderful things she’s done, she turned around and gave it to a homeless woman she spotted sitting on a bench.
Knowing that Sonya would have a hard time pocketing any change that came her way, Ellen found a brilliant way to convince the teacher to finally accept all the good karma she’s been racking over the years.
Watch the video below to see the touching interview where this angelic soul gets not one, but two, amazing gifts.
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