“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Bus driver Larry Farrish Jr. sensed something was wrong when he saw first-grader Levi Carrier looking sad at the bus stop on Pajama Day morning. Levi, usually full of smiles, was sitting alone, tears streaming down his face. “Any normal day when I pull up to the bus stop, Levi like waves me in,” Farrish said. “This day, he didn’t wave me in. I noticed him sitting down on the ground by himself.”

So Farrish immediately asked the first grader what was wrong. “He looked up at me, bawling, face full of tears and he said ‘I don’t have any pajamas,'” Farrish said. “Obviously it meant a lot to him.” Levi’s mother, Jasmine Carrier, said that the family’s home doesn’t have a washer/dryer hookup, so there weren’t any clean pajamas that morning.

Levi in his new pajamas. Photo courtesy of Jefferson County Public Schools

Moved by Levi’s tears, Farrish made a decision. After finishing his route, he checked in with his boss, and then headed to the local Family Dollar store and purchased pajamas for Levi. When he returned to the school, Levi met him in the office.

“He came around the corner, his face lit up. It was the biggest smile that I recognized every morning,” Farrish said. “I was like, that’s Levi.” He told Levi that he didn’t want him to be sad. “‘I want you to participate in pajama day,'” Farrish said he told Levi. “I said, ‘Will you try these on when you get back to your classroom and have a good day?'” 

He hugged them and he said ‘I have pajamas.'”

For Farrish, the small act of kindness was so easy to do because it meant the world to Levi. “I never wanted to see my student hurt because of something so small. It’s the importance of being able to participate,” Farrish said. Carrier expressed her gratitude for Farrish’s gesture, saying you don’t see that sort of kindness in the world as often.

Larry Farrish Jr. and Levi Carrier. Photo by Jefferson County Public Schools

Carrier expressed her gratitude for Farrish’s gesture, saying you don’t see that sort of kindness in the world as often. “It’s amazing. You don’t find too many nice people out here,” she said. Carrier appreciated Farrish’s empathy towards her son’s situation, acknowledging the impact it had on their family. Levi, too, was thankful for Farrish’s kindness.

“I can tell Mr. Larry is nice and his heart is filled with joy,” he said. “I’m usually really happy, but not on pajama day…When he got me the pajamas, I did a happy cry.” Farrish Jr., who has been a bus driver for seven years, said that this has been the best job he has ever had. “They become my kids after they leave their parents,” Farrish said. “I make sure they get to and from school safe, but I also try to bring some type of joy to their lives.”

Sources: Good Morning America | People