Woman’s Mom Senses Kicked In When Her Son Started Asking For Two Lunches

For hard-working single moms, life often comes to a boil on weekday mornings. While they're trying to juggle a million things at once, they have to get themselves ready for work, find one of the kids' missing socks, feed the dog and pack school lunches. Their plates are full. So when single mother Josette Duran's son asked her to start packing him two lunches, she had a lot of questions. What could he possibly need two lunches for? She wasn't prepared for the truth behind her son's request and the incredible meeting it would lead to. Josette Duran and her son Dylan happily reside in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her eighth-grader was as kind and compassionate as they come, and Josette was proud to have raised him that way. Dylan was the furthest thing from a problem child. Especially considering what a wonderful young man Dylan was turning out to be, Josette was more than happy to make his school lunches every morning. They usually consisted of a sandwich, a bag of chips, a drink and a fruit. It should have been more than enough to eat. But then, just a week into the 2016 school year, Dylan had a peculiar request regarding his school lunches. He asked his mom if she could start packing two lunches. Josette's mind immediately started racing. Did her lunches not pack enough of a punch? Why? Are you not getting full? What's going on? The single mom cried. No, I'm getting full, but I want to take one for my friend, Dylan replied. Hmm, Josette couldn't help but scratch her head in confusion. See, Dylan started noticing that one of his classmates would come in with hardly any food for lunchtime, usually just a measly fruit cup. Dylan would put two and two together, figuring that the boy's family couldn't afford to send him to school with a sufficient lunch. I was homeless a few years ago. I know how hard it is to ask for help. You get ashamed and feel embarrassed, Josie told Today. So when Dylan told her about the boy at school, her empathy kicked in. She remembered it being a dark time, as her and Dylan isolated themselves from friends and family members because we didn't want anyone to know what was going on with us. They weren't themselves. Thinking back to those days was painful for the Duran duo. However, Josette and Dylan didn't let their negative experiences bring them down, rather lift them up as well as others up. I was taught if you can't be nice, then you be extra nicer. And I've always raised my son to be that way. I've always taught him to be kind and help others, explained Josette. Dylan undoubtedly picked up on everything his strong mama taught him. So Josette didn't hesitate to help out the boy and his family, who all remain anonymous. The least she could do was pack Dylan an extra sandwich and some extra snacks, as well as some uplifting sticky notes to brighten the boy's days. Josette, who coaches girls volleyball at Dylan's school, figured the school didn't know anything about the boy's rocky financial situation. That is until he finally applied for the reduced meal program, which Dylan nudged him to do. That school would never let any child go hungry. They take care of everybody. But this little boy was probably too embarrassed. He didn't want to speak up, Josette said, sticking up for the school she so clearly believes in. After several weeks of packing two lunches, Josette had the pleasure of meeting the boy's mom in person. Josette admitted she was initially nervous to meet her. In this day and age, when you try to help somebody, some people get offended by it. People aren't used to kindness, she said. So I was kind of scared. I didn't want her, the mom, to think that I was stepping on her toes or crossing boundaries. But she was very, very thankful and told me so. She told me how much she appreciated what we did. Josette continued. The boy's mother kindly offered to pay back Josette for the cost of the extra lunches she'd made, but Josette refused. To us, we were just doing something normal, Josette explained. Though this act of kindness was just in Josette's good nature, people weren't too sure her motives were genuine. After she posted photos of herself packing the double lunches on Facebook, people saw it as Josette looking for some sort of brownie points. Josette clarified for some suspicious Facebook moms saying that she only posted the photos to highlight how proud she was of her son for speaking up and thinking of others. She continued to point out that these Facebook users knew nothing about her son specifically, who's experienced horrific bullying. And even when Josette's girls volleyball team sweetly raised $400 to reimburse her for the extra lunches she prepared out of the kindness of her heart, she felt wrong pocketing the money. Instead, Josette put the money toward the school's cafeteria, specifically to pay off the dues on students' lunch accounts. Being kind doesn't have to come in monetary form. Just know that if you're having a good day, someone else is having a bad day, and you should fix that, Josette told Inside Edition. The Durans solely wished for the world to use their kind actions as an example, and one kindergarten student did just that. Little Vista, California, resident and kindergarten student Caitlin Hardy is a curious one. She pays close attention to her surroundings, and one day she heard something disheartening that really struck a chord with her. The Breeze Hill Elementary School student overheard a mother frantically venting about having a hard time paying for her child's after-school program. While other children may have forgotten about said adult conversation, it piqued Caitlin's interest. She started asking me a lot of questions, and I just tried to explain to her that sometimes people aren't as fortunate, and that we need to try to be kind and give when we can, Caitlin's mother Karina Hardy said. The youngster couldn't let it go. I just tried to explain to her that sometimes people aren't as fortunate as we are, and that we need to try to be kind and give when we can, Karina continued. This had the tiny humanitarian thinking as she wanted to help any way she could. In December of 2019, Caitlin decided to set up the most adorable hot cocoa stand you'll ever see in your life, all in the hopes of raising some money for less fortunate families in her community. Specifically, Caitlin hoped that other students could have a snack and lunch. If they don't, their tummies grumble. Even though Caitlin couldn't fully grasp the seriousness of the situation, she knew her peers deserved to have happy tummies. Aside from hot chocolate, the stand also sold cider and cookies. There's no way you'd be able to walk past the cuteness, as well as the treats, without spending a dollar or two. It turns out that plenty of people couldn't resist supporting Caitlin's stand. According to Jamie Phillips, Director of Child Nutrition Services for Vista Unified School District, Caitlin's stand raised approximately $80, which was enough to pay off lunch debts for a whopping 123 Breeze Hill students. Everybody is just so proud and happy, and other students are already talking about ways they can also make a difference. It goes to show that even one small, kind act from a five-year-old can mean the difference for someone in her life, relayed Principal Lori Higley. But Caitlin wasn't done just yet. The kindergarten sweetheart wished to continue her philanthropic journey to help families in need, this time moving on to raise money for the thousands of negative accounts at schools in the Vista Unified School District. She called her new ambitious mission, Kiki's Kindness Project, to raise enough money to pay off all negative accounts in the district. Caitlin, the other students and staff members who volunteered to help, needed to make a little over $7,700. It was admittedly a steep goal. We are fortunate to live in California, but in other states, some children are shamed and or given a different lunch. Karina modestly told People, Caitlin and her mom kept on laboring over that hot cocoa stand, just trusting their efforts. At a particular fundraiser, which took place at a trampoline park, Caitlin raised $636 for Breeze Hill programs that were in danger of being ripped from the lives of the elementary youngsters due to budget cuts. These after-school programs meant a lot to kiddos, not to mention their parents. Ever since the birth of Kiki's Kindness Project, Caitlin and her mom have been expanding on its direction while keeping charity at the project's core. Soon enough, they hosted an event called Cases for Love. Cases for Love urged people to donate unwanted suitcases and bags for San Diego's foster kids, who are often forced to move from home to home. Though living out of a suitcase is no fun, Caitlin and Karina wanted to ensure that they at least owned one. The charity drive was uber successful as the duo collected 44 backpacks, 10 suitcases, 3 large duffel bags, 10 large rolling backpacks and several other small bags. Coincidentally, the day of the event happened to be Random Act of Kindness Day. According to Kiki's Kindness Project Facebook page, Caitlin assisted with delivering the boatload of bags to Palomar Family YMCA and YMCA Youth and Family Services. These organizations were grateful for the hefty number of donations, especially coming from the hands of a kind, mature 5-year-old. Caitlin's parents were inspired by their little girl's generous personality. My husband and I were so proud of her. She has sparked a little fire even into me to try and help," Karina told 103.7 K-Sun. She's just so selfless. Unbelievably, the Kiki Kindness Project page slowly gained traction, earning a total of $17,308 from 74 different donors as of February of 2020. Little Caitlin proved to be a humanitarian trailblazer, and we can hardly wait to see what else she'll achieve as she grows up. With everything that's going on in the world, we just need a little bit more kindness out there," said Karina. She's not wrong, and more times than not, said kindness comes from the hearts of especially when they've experienced misfortune themselves, just like Caitlin Hardy. Little Adie Bryan was a Gift Jeff and Julie Bryan had a flood of happiness rush at them on the day their daughter Adie was born. That unbridled joy that day didn't last long, however. Adie almost didn't make it. The moment they laid eyes on Adie, the Bryans saw something was wrong. Their baby had hip dysplasia, a clubbed foot, and two knees that bent backwards. With a rare case of Larson's Syndrome, the doctors doubted she'd ever walk. Just days old, Adie underwent her first surgery. Dozens and dozens more followed over the next few years, with the Bryans estimating that their daughter went through 70 casts throughout her early childhood. The Bryans placed their full faith in the staff of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, located near their home in Dallas. Over the years, it built a sterling reputation for treating orthopedic conditions particularly in children. After years of medical intervention, there still wasn't assurance that Adie would be able to lead a normal childhood, but amid all the darkness, the Bryans still clung tightly to a glimmer of hope. One member especially. By the time she reached 7 years old, Adie didn't see herself as any different from other kids. She made the best of everything despite her situation. Soon her results began to impress everyone around her. Though her legs still retained a slightly bent shape, Adie's range of movement grew by leaps and bounds. Before long she started to spend more time zipping around on her scooter than cooped up in the hospital. And that wasn't all, she could even run. Everyone understood that she had come an incredibly long way from her troubled infancy. There was no doubt about Adie's good fortune, but something started to nag at her. With her 8th birthday party approaching, Adie knew she was incredibly lucky. Thanks to the folks at Scottish Rite Hospital she could run, walk and jump wherever she wanted. Adie only hoped every other kid could do the same. One morning Julie Bryan found her daughter tallying up her meager life savings. Adie shocked her by saying that she wasn't just doing this for fun, she was looking to make a donation. Adie wanted to make a real difference for the Scottish Rite Hospital in the form of a donation. Her mom suggested that she open a lemonade stand with a couple friends to raise more money. But ultimately that tactic only raised $60. So knowing she needed to get more aggressive she grabbed a marker and some poster board and drew up a sign requesting donations for the hospital. Then she ran out to the street corner in hopes of collecting a fortune. Despite the sweltering Texas heat, Adie had an easy time standing on the corner once she saw the contributions rolling in. Neighbors and complete strangers alike seemed happy to help out, even if it was with just a few dollars. After a couple months Adie had built up a nice pile of money. Still she was really looking to make a big fundraising leap in the final weeks before her birthday. Adie thought she could expand her operations beyond the street corner. Adie and her parents reached out to a local restaurant called the Cotton Patch Cafe. They agreed to hold a charity event and Adie went all out. Channeling her inner Pat Sajak, she set up a wheel of prizes to pack the house. By the time her eighth birthday rolled around, Adie raised a whopping $19,500 for the hospital. For an institution that relied so much on charitable donations, this was huge. Not even Adie's parents could believe she single-handedly raised such a sum. Her efforts gained a lot of attention. A number of outlets shared her story from her local news station to People magazine. A live TV interview was a good birthday present to be sure, but Adie was about to get a better one. Stephanie Brigger, the hospital's vice president of development, called the Bryans to share some big news. An anonymous donor felt so touched by Adie's story that he decided to share a contribution of his own. The Good Samaritan sent Scottish Rite an additional $50,000 in Adie's name. That meant this eight-year-old's donation totaled just under $70,000. Most people couldn't believe it, but this is exactly what Adie wanted. She said she was glad to give so many other kids a shot at a happy life, as her gift could provide countless casts and prosthetics. Adie Bryans didn't need anything else for her birthday. She proved that the best gift is giving back. We tend to underestimate just how big a difference young people can make, but especially in the age of social media, they can truly change lives. When 18-year-old Tyrell Wolfe received an unusual friend request on Facebook one afternoon, he wasn't sure what to make of it. The request was from a young Filipino woman named Joanna Marchand, and Tyrell was certain that they'd never met, let alone even been in the same country. Believing it to be just another scam, Tyrell declined the invitation. Several years passed and the strange friend request became a distant memory. He wasn't much for Facebook anymore, but while casually checking his profile one day, he noticed a new request in his inbox, the sender, Joanna Marchand. Tyrell's interest was piqued, but his parents, wary of the type of people you find online, were understandably worried about this interest in their son. Still, Tyrell couldn't resist getting to the bottom of this mystery. He opened the request and clicked confirm. Tyrell messaged the young woman, whose response only made things even more unclear. You know about the Samaritan's Purse? Tyrell was dumbfounded. What could this possibly mean? Was it some sort of code? Then, all at once, it hit him. Samaritan's Purse was a non-profit through which a 7-year-old Tyrell had donated a box full of gifts as part of a charity program called Operation Christmas Child. But why, 11 years later, was this stranger from the Philippines contacting him about Christmas presents? And most importantly, how did she know about his donation? Then, Joanna came clean. It was she that had received Tyrell's shoebox all those years ago. Tyrell was blown away by the news, but even so, he was still skeptical of the young woman's motivations. After all, how was he to know if Joanna was really who she said she was? He needed proof. Tyrell questioned Joanna about the contents of his box, but she was unable to recall anything specific about the shoebox. He was ready to write her off, but at the last minute, Joanna brought up one key item that proved she was telling the truth. In the original shoebox, Tyrell had included a picture of himself at the time of the donation. Joanna recalled the photo in perfect detail, describing his cute cowboy outfit and the wooden background of the image. Without a doubt, Joanna was exactly who she said she was. And the story of she and Tyrell was only just beginning. Though most would go their separate ways after a one-off encounter like this, Tyrell and Joanna stayed in touch and soon discovered they shared many of the same interests. Eventually, the pair was talking every day and their Facebook chats soon blossomed into a fully-fledged friendship. Over the next year and a half, Tyrell began saving up in the hopes of visiting Joanna after he graduated high school. As soon as he'd met his goal, he messaged Joanna and immediately booked the next flight to the Philippines. Long plane rides are rough on everyone, but being that Tyrell had never left the country alone before, the 14-hour trip from Idaho to the Philippines was especially tough. But no matter how difficult the journey, it was all worth it for Tyrell when he arrived to find Joanna and her family, waiting at the airport to welcome him. What was meant to be a short visit for Tyrell became a month-long stay as he and Joanna discovered that their connection was deeper and more real than they could've ever imagined. It was clear that the Facebook friends were becoming something much more. Unfortunately, Tyrell had to say goodbye to Joanna, but he knew in his heart that he couldn't stay away for long. Putting in extra hours of part-time work between his college classes, Tyrell scrounged up enough money to make another trip back to the Philippines. His second trip to see Joanna was even better than the first and it wasn't long before the two had fallen in love. After learning a good amount of Tagalog, the native language of the Philippines, Tyrell approached Joanna's father to ask for one very important thing, his daughter's hand in marriage. Joanna's father agreed in a heartbeat, but her mother, fearing the couple was moving fast, was hesitant to give her blessing. Tyrell was heartbroken, but the young man was unwilling to leave the Philippines without the woman he loved by his side. In the last-ditch effort, Tyrell convinced his father to fly in from Idaho to meet Joanna and hopefully ease the tensions between him and her family. After several weeks of discussions, Tyrell and his father finally persuaded Joanna's mother to agree to the proposal. In October of 2014, just five months after their engagement, the couple wed in a simple ceremony at Tyrell's parents' ranch. In lieu of wedding gifts, the newlyweds made an unusual request that brought their unconventional love story full circle. Tyrell and Joanna asked that each guest bring a shoebox of gifts to be donated to none other than Samaritan's Purse. They also asked their guest to include a note about Tyrell and Joanna's story in each box to show how one small act of kindness can completely change someone's life. After their wedding, Joanna agreed to leave her home in the Philippines behind in favor of small-town life with Tyrell in Idaho. The quiet country home was soon filled with the pitter-patter of tiny feet, as not long after Joanna gave birth to their first child, a baby boy named Harlan Jhun Wolfe. Even with lives made busy by work and parenting, Tyrell and Joanna still make it a tradition to deliver shoeboxes every year. It might not seem like much, but as the unlikely couple can attest to, you never know what kind of good can come from a shoebox.