Why the photo of this babysitting teacher is totally going viral
Life for a single mom can be really difficult. She has to balance work, bills, the needs of her child, and her personal life — and it can get even more complicated when you throw education into the mix. Earlier this year, a photograph of a professor holding a child went completely viral after the professor insisted on holding and soothing the child himself so the mother wouldn’t leave class and miss a lesson. And now, another teacher is making our hearts burst because of an act of kindness for a single mother.
Mother Kimmy Lopez recently took to Facebook to share a picture of her teacher, Mr. Guy, who helped her during a time of need. Kimmy was determined to get her high school diploma, but she was living in a shelter with a 10-month-old son, and since she couldn’t afford daycare, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to complete her education. When she shared her plight with the administration, they told her to bring her son in anyway:
The post has since gone viral, with almost 8,000 likes and over 2,600 shares. “Some teachers go all out for their students, they will do just about anything to help you succeed,” Kimmy wrote.
The teacher, Tommy Guy, works at Central High School in Springfield, Massachusetts and is known for his generosity and kindness. He even is known for finding students who dropped out of school and convincing them to come back and get their diploma.
“Whether it’s going to pick a kid up to come to school or bring somebody home, it’s just something that he does,” the school’s principal, Dr. Tad Tokarz, told Western Mass News.
But Mr. Guy is staying humble, telling Western Mass News that Kimmy’s son was a joy to be with. “We actually had a playpen in the room,” he said. “He was a piece of cake to be there. He enjoyed being there, like, he knew his mother was doing something special.”
And when it comes to Kimmy? She’s the hardest worker of them all, he said. “She was a very focused student,” he told Western Mass News. “She knew what she wanted to do, so we wanted to help her the best way we could.”
We love this story for so many reasons. Kimmy’s determination is absolutely amazing, but so is the kindness and understanding of the school administration and Mr. Guy. It’s all an excellent reminder that with a little bit of empathy and heart, when we work together, we can do anything. . . and come out all the stronger.
Related reading:
Why that photo of a professor holding a baby has gone completely viral
(Image via Facebook.)
