Kayzen Hunter: Arkansas boy, 8, raises $50K for his favorite Waffle House waiter who lost his home
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS: An 8-year-old Arkansas boy has raised almost $50,000 for his favorite Waffle House waiter after learning that the 29-year-old lost his house and was staying in a motel with his family. Kayzen Hunter, a second grader, has breakfast with his family at their local Waffle House every weekend and always makes sure to sit at the table that his favorite waiter, Devonte Gardner, is covering.
When Hunter enters the restaurant, Gardner always gives him a high-five and remembers to get his usual hash browns with cheese and eggs with cheese. In the words of Hunter, "Devonte is one of the most joyous and positive people you’ve ever met!! He always greets us with the biggest smile."
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The GoFundMe set up for Gardner has raised almost $50K
Hunter's family decided to start a GoFundMe for Gardner after learning that the server's wife and their two girls were staying in a hotel room without a regular means of transportation and that the server had to walk to work every day, as per PEOPLE. The campaign read, "Hi, my name is Kayzen, I am 8 years old. I am wanting to raise funds for my friend, Devonte, who I met and have come to know from eating breakfast at Waffle House. Devonte is a hard-working dad with two little girls and a wife. He is a dedicated worker and has to walk or get a ride to get to work every day."
Hunter continued, "He was looking for a decent priced car, and his family was unfortunate and ended up in an apartment riddled with black mold. He had to get his kids out and it set him back a lot. We are now helping him get into a clean rental property and want to help him even more by raising funds so he has a reliable vehicle to drive his family and get to and from work. Devonte is one of the most joyous and positive people you’ve ever met!! He always greets us with the biggest smile. I hope your heart is as BIG as mine and you will help me spread kindness in the world. Any amount helps!!"
'It just be a blessing'
Gardner said that costs started to pile up after having to move to the motel to get away from the mold. "All my tips and everything that I get to go straight to my kids," he told THV11. "I pay for the room, daily pay $60 a day, and it's just eating my pocket alive." With an initial goal of $5,000 to get Gardner a reliable vehicle, the campaign has now accumulated almost $50,000. "It just be a blessing," Gardner expressed. "You know, I'm always counting my blessings, always." He added that the generosity shown to him and his family made him "almost cry."
"It just feels good to help someone else," Hunter told the outlet. His father, Korey, added, "Kayzen does not want anything in return. Just wants other people to pay it forward."
