A UPS delivery driver who has been called “A Santa in a different suit” went viral this week when an entire neighborhood came together to thank him for all of his hard work.
Anthony Gaskin from Chesterfield County, Va. has served the Hallsley neighborhood for several years now. He goes above and beyond in his job to improve people’s days, and is always smiling and friendly to everyone.
To say thank you to Anthony, hundreds of people lined the streets of the neighborhood and waited for Anthony to turn the corner. They cheered, rang bells, and honked their horns to show their appreciation, and Anthony’s supervisors were waiting to give him a gift.
“Through COVID, Anthony has continued working, delivering packages at our doors, record numbers of them, over 180 times to date,” Hallsley neighbor Patty 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.”
With the help of another neighbor, Patty organized the whole surprise, and the special day went ahead on Tuesday, December 15.
The moment when Anthony saw what everyone had done for him was clearly an emotional one, and he was pictured brushing away tears as he accepted his gift.
“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,” Patty 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.”
Even though his truck does not have sirens and his uniform does not offer added fire protection, Anthony Gaskin is…
Posted by WTVR CBS 6 News on Friday, 18 December 2020
Anthony has had an effect on so many people all over the neighborhood- and it’s certainly something that deserves recognition.
Anyone can be a delivery driver, but it takes someone special to leave a mark on so many different people.
Many neighbors came forward and left their own testimonials of appreciation for the UPS driver:
“Anthony always delivers our packages with a wave and a smile,” one neighbor wrote. “Sometimes he is the only outside face we see during the day. We appreciate his hard work and dedication during the pandemic, which delivered food, supplies, and even holiday gifts to a high-risk family.”
“Anthony always smiles, waves, and goes above and beyond to deliver packages with care,” another neighbor wrote. “He makes you feel like a friend when you see him. He brightens our day, whenever he drops off a package, which is frequently at our house! He stands out from ALL other delivery drivers and we love him! Cheers to Anthony!”
“Thank you Anthony for all you do,” a third neighbor added. “My six-year-old daughter hasn’t seen either set of grandparents in over a year. This has been very hard on everyone. Many of the packages you deliver are from them. The joy the packages bring makes it worthwhile. Thank you for always delivering them with a kind smile and a friendly wave!”
The humble delivery driver thanked everyone and spoke briefly, before getting back to work. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s this: if you’re appreciative of someone, then let them know! Like Anthony, it could just make their day.
Watch the touching video below.
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