Kennewick school bus driver warms hands — and hearts

A kind-hearted bus driver for the Kennewick School District knew just what one of his young riders needed.

On Thursday driver John Lunceford stopped for a student who was crying as he waited in the bitter cold for his school bus, according to the Kennewick School District.

“I’m a grandfather, you know,” Lunceford says. “No one wants a kid to suffer like that.”

The student’s bare hands and ears had turned red in the cold. Lunceford put his own gloves on the child and told him “It’ll be OK. It’ll be OK.”

After Lunceford dropped off his bus, he headed to a dollar store and then back to school with 10 new stocking hats and 10 new sets of gloves in black and pink.

An administrator helped Lunceford find the boy in the library, and the bus driver gave away the first hat and gloves.

He told the students that anyone on his route who didn’t have a hat or gloves should see him. One girl immediately asked for a hat.

“I’ll take care of you sweetie,” Lunceford said, according to the school district in a Facebook post.

Lunceford is a U.S. Army veteran who has driven Kennewick school buses for three years.

This story was originally published December 11, 2016 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Kennewick school bus driver warms hands — and hearts."