Little Rock second grader’s kindness goes viral as he helps Waffle House employee buy car

Little Rock, Arkansas – A second-grader in Little Rock is organizing a fundraiser for his favorite Waffle House waiter and a friend who needed financial support to buy a car and find a secure home for his family to live in.

Since we initially shared the story with you in February, we have watched as donations came in, and Waffle House waiter Devonte Gardner’s life has since been transformed.

Although Devonte Gardner appears to be having the time of his life, he admitted that his life hasn’t always been cheerful. The first thing that springs to mind when you think of Devonte Gardner is likely to be his smile.

“The way I was brought up was crazy. But I’m old now. I’m 30 years old and now I’m not gonna live my life the life that I did live affect where I want to go in my life,” Gardner said.

Most days, you can find him chatting up everyone who enters the Waffle House on Stagecoach while waiting tables.

8-year-old Kayzen Hunter, one of his regular clients, rapidly became his friend and started a GoFundMe to raise money to buy him a car and move into a new apartment.

Devonte had to evict his wife and two young daughters from their previous flat due to a mold problem. Up until they were able to move into their two-bedroom apartment a few weeks ago, they had spent the previous 10 months living in a motel.

“I just got some furniture today and got my bedroom set, got my daughter’s bedroom set. Got some living room furniture and stuff like that a couple of TVs. So they can be able to watch TV and stuff like that just to make it feel like a home for my daughters,” he said.

It was made possible by Kayzen, and it all began with a $5,000 objective. After starting GoFundMe in a month, he was able to raise more than $113,000 to support Devonte and his family.

“I was like, oh, what? How’s it going up this fast?,” Kayzen Hunter said.

Kayzen was able to use that money on Thursday to purchase a car alongside Devonte and his family. Devonte decided to buy a car after looking at one.

“Me and Kayzen picked it out of course. We loved it as we both sat in the car like oh my god, Kayzen, you’re gonna be right here. I will pick you up from school and stuff like that,” Gardner said.

Vittoria Hunter, Kayzen’s mother, said she eventually hopes to assist Devonte in finding a home.

“I feel like I’ve known him forever. And so that’s been super, super special. They’re all amazing people and they deserve this wholeheartedly,” Vittoria Hunter said.

“It tears me up because all this positivity is happening right now to me and I just don’t know what to do about it like I might just now. I try to be cool with everything, but like is this happening to me,” Gardner asked.

He no longer has to be concerned about his finances.

He and Kayzen can now continue creating memories wherever the road takes them, including at Waffle House.