‘Just show kindness to whoever needs it’: Driver grateful after Mass. teens help push stalled car to safety
By Peter Eliopoulos, Imani Clement
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EVERETT, Mass. (WCVB) — Robin Gay’s car broke down in the middle of the busy Revere Beach Parkway on Friday evening after she left volunteering at Phunk Phenomenon Dance Studio in Everett.
“When I pulled out of the parking lot, the car just died,” Gay said.
Gay described the chaotic scene and her growing fear as traffic rushed by.
“Cars were literally flying, so I kind of went into a panic state,” she said. “My biggest fear was somebody is going to hit me.”
A group of Everett High School student-athletes noticed Gay’s predicament and immediately decided to help.
“She’s stuck in the middle of the road; let’s help her,” said Raul Guimaraes, a senior.
“Our first instinct was just to help out,” said senior Kevin Ordonez.
“Because that’s what we’re taught here at this high school,” said senior Emmanuel Lerbout. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t know the person; if you know the person. If you see someone in trouble, just go help.”
The seven young men instructed Gay to steer while they pushed her car to safety. One of the students directed traffic, and senior captain Jayden Alsaindor documented the moment.
“You cannot ask for a better team than this!” Alsaindor said in the video.
“I just wanted to have it as a memory, to show acts of kindness in the world,” Alsaindor said.
The group successfully pushed Gay’s car into a parking space and celebrated their efforts. When Gay tried to offer them money, they refused and instead gave her a hug.
“They just refused; they were pushing my hand away, they were like, ‘Absolutely not,'” Gay said. “To them, it was like, ‘We’re really glad that you’re safe.'”
For Gay, the students’ actions were deeply meaningful.
“The impact they had, it was just unbelievable,” she said. “You don’t realize what people are going through. The littlest things make a difference, and hopefully, the kindness keeps spreading.”
The students said they would not hesitate to help again.
“If we saw it again, we would just go do it again,” said senior Emmanuel Nelson.
“You feel great after doing something good, and it was amazing to help her,” said senior Gerardo Cubias.
“Regardless of who you are, regardless of your skin color, don’t need to get into politics,” Alsaindor said. “Just be you, and just show kindness. To whoever needs help, just help, that’s it.”
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