Girl Asks Not to Be Dropped off at School Entrance, Mom Learns She Visits a Kind Old Man Every Morning

One day, a woman decided to drop her daughter at the school entrance instead of dropping her off at the corner like she usually does. To her surprise, her little one asked her to drop her at the corner because she wanted to meet the man she saw every morning. 

Every parent wants to send their child to a school where they know their little one would be safe. Sending children to school means having no contact with them for a few hours until they return home, which can cause concern for some parents.

Parents who drop their kids at school hope their child is safe after entering the premises. Most of them want to drop their kid at the school’s entrance, but some can’t do it because of other commitments. The mother in today’s story was in a similar situation when she saw something unexpected.

Gina Arnold. | Source: youtube.com/Inside Edition

A REGULAR MORNING

Like every other day, Gina Arnold sat in her car to drive her daughter, Audrey, to Marina Village Middle School in El Dorado Hills, California. Since they had left home a bit earlier than usual, Arnold decided to do something special for Audrey. 

As they arrived near the school, Arnold didn’t stop her car at the corner of the street because she wanted to drop Audrey at the entrance. Usually, Arnold asked her daughter to walk from the corner.

To her surprise, her daughter said she didn’t like being dropped off at the entrance. When Arnold heard why Audrey wanted to get off at the corner, she was shocked. 

THE REASON

Audrey told her mother that she preferred walking from the corner because of the “cute little old man” she met on her way every day. Arnold’s heart skipped a beat when she heard her daughter talk about an unknown man. Arnold asked:

“Who is the cute little old man?”

The little girl said she met a man every day on the steps where Arnold usually dropped her. Audrey said the man “talked about kindness” and gave the children advice before starting their day at school. 

Wally Richardson pictured with a school girl. | Source: youtube.com/Inside Edition

THE OLD MAN 

Arnold looked at her daughter with raised eyebrows and waited for her to go inside the school building so she could drive to the corner and see who the man was. 

She pressed the brakes near the steps Audrey was talking about and saw an old, fragile man standing with middle schoolers gathered around him. Arnold felt relieved to know her daughter was not in trouble.

Moreover, she felt happy knowing the 94-year-old man, Wally Richardson, encouraged the students to do good things. She thought they needed this daily dose of motivation. 

Wally Richardson pictured with school kids. | Source: youtube.com/Inside Edition

HIS MOTIVATION

Richardson said he had been motivating students like this for a decade. His wife used to join him initially until she had trouble walking and standing for long periods.

Back in the day, Richardson and his wife used to gift bookmarks to children instead of motivating them with kind words and fist bumps. Richardson said:

“I began to talk to them about philosophy, being kind, and then we started making bookmarks and started passing them out, so they had something to hang on to.”

Wally Richardson pictured with a school girl. | Source: youtube.com/Inside Edition

HIS MISSION

Richardson and his wife wanted to teach children what to do before attending high school. They didn’t want children to get into trouble when they shifted from middle school to high school. 

He taught the students what was the most important thing to do before going to high school. He believed selecting the right company was essential for teenagers because friends are the ones who leave a lasting impact on people. Richardson added:

“If it’s the wrong selection, you’re gonna be [in] trouble.”

Wally Richardson pictured with school kids. | Source: youtube.com/Inside Edition

ADVICE FOR NEWLYWEDS

After being married for 60 years, Richardson learned many things about married life. Aside from students, he also advised newlyweds. He said:

“You’re different personalities, but you have to learn to give and take.”

Whenever Richardson got upset over something his wife did, he would prefer to stay quiet instead of venting his anger on her. He advised newlyweds to walk away from “heated emotions.”

THE MOTHER’S REACTION

Arnold felt at peace after knowing who Richardson was and why he stood at the same spot every morning. She was happy that someone outside her house reinforced the same things she had taught her daughter at home. Arnold said:

“I am so excited that she has the opportunity to talk to somebody every morning outside of me, to help her get her mind right as she walks into school.”

What would you do if you were in Arnold’s shoes? Would you let your daughter talk to a stranger every morning before entering school? We would love to know what you think about this heartwarming story. 

Click here to read another story about a child who took the wrong school bus and bumped into an older man while crying in search of his home.

Anomama