This feel-good story out of Indiana is sure to brighten your moods for today! An unexpected meeting between strangers resulted in a gift that 15-year-old Demarco Bailey will never forget! Earl Davis rode past Bailey on his way to work when he saw the teenager on the side of the road.
“I was on my way to a job interview and I rode past him,” Earl Davis told ABC. He said that the first time he met Demarco, he was working out on the side of the road with tires chained around his waist for strength training.
Demarco told Earl that he had to make this homemade equipment because his family could not afford real equipment, and he wanted to make the football team at his high school as a sophomore.
“He’s so small and he looks about the same age as my kids that I coach. So I saw him and I was like, ‘Wow.’ My two boys play football and they were home asleep. They work hard, I can’t say that they don’t, but I wanted to take his picture to come home to show them his dedication,” said Davis.
Davis posted Bailey’s photo to Facebook to inspire others. The post reads in part: “I gave him my name and number so he can work out with my boys, told him we have sleds, parachutes, resistant bands, weights, etc. He was geeked up. Best part of all, the whole conversation took place while he was still jogging. He said, ‘Sorry to be rude coach but you gotta drive while I jog. I gotta stay moving.'”
Once many people began commenting wanting to help Demarco out, Davis started a GoFundMe to help him fund Demarco’s equipment. The campaign has raised already raised more than its $5,000 goal!
Davis talked about the humbleness of Demarco and his family, saying that the young teen wants to use the money to help others. “I talked to his dad a couple times. On Sunday we all went out to Dairy Queen. They are so humble. It’s a fight to get Marco to even spend the money that was donated for him. He doesn’t want to spend it. He doesn’t feel like he worked for it. He wants to take the stuff that was donated to him and get some equipment, but then donate the rest to others,” said Davis.
Davis has purchased some new gear for Demarco with a portion of the funds, and he has been training out with his sons. “I can’t really believe it. Demarco is so calm about everything. You never meet a kid like that. He doesn’t like the attention, he just wants to keep working out.”
According to Davis, Demarco’s family was hesitant of him trying out for football his freshman year because he previously had two concussions from football in middle school. “She said that he is super aggressive on the football field, but he’s never been trained to play the proper way, so that’s where the concussions came from. With the proper training, she’s willing to try it again,” he said.
While the Bailey family is unsure of what school Demarco will attend next year because they are looking for new housing, wherever he ends up at, Demarco is ready and well-prepared!
What an awesome story! You never know what may come out of a chance meeting!
