A neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia, showed out for their favorite UPS delivery driver this week, thanking the man for his tireless work delivering packages through the coronavirus pandemic.
Anthony Gaskin was turning the corner on his normal route when he saw hundreds of people lined along a road in the Hallsley neighborhood of the city, according to CBS News.
Gaskin never stopped delivering their packages even during the worst moments of the COVID-19 pandemic, Patty Friedman, a resident of the neighborhood, told local news outlet WTVR.
"Through COVID, Anthony has continued working, delivering packages at our doors, record numbers of them, over 180 times to date. I wanted to thank him personally for how much he helped me feel welcome when I moved in during a pandemic. It was terribly lonely and he was always the highlight of my day. Mentioning this to a few people and the response I got was all I needed to know I was not alone," she said.
"A humble man, he needed to be coaxed, but eventually, slowly drove his truck down the road while children and adults held up signs, screamed his name, honked their horns, and rang bells," Friedman added.
Hundreds of people showed up by car and bicycle to thank Gaskin, she said.
A photographer shared photos of the scene on her Instagram page, showing dozens of people cheering and clapping for Gaskin. Some of Gaskin's coworkers even showed up to cheer him on as well and give him a gift.
Gaskin cried and thanked the crowd for the gesture.
Many people who spoke to WTVR said sometimes Gaskin was the only person they saw for days or weeks, and he would always greet them with a smile and kind words while dropping off packages.
"Sometimes he is the only outside face we see during the day," one neighbor wrote.
"Thank you Anthony for all you do. My six-year-old daughter hasn't seen either set of grandparents in over a year. This has been very hard on everyone. Many of the packages you deliver are from them. The joy the packages bring makes it worthwhile. Thank you for always delivering them with a kind smile and a friendly wave," one local resident told the news outlet.
Another family said they were at high risk and used UPS to deliver food, supplies and holiday gifts. They thanked Gaskin for always being there no matter the weather.
"Anthony always smiles, waves, and goes above and beyond to deliver packages with care," a local resident told WTVR. "He makes you feel like a friend when you see him. He brightens our day, whenever he drops off a package, which is frequently at our house! He stands out from ALL other delivery drivers and we love him! Cheers to Anthony!"
