5-Year-Old Boy Finds A Special Friend — In His Neighborhood Garbage Truck Driver

SAN RAMON, Calif. (KPIX-TV) — Some friendships marque a lasting impression. On Thursday, a small lad who faithfully waits each week for a pal to propulsion up astatine his driveway had 1 past gathering (at slightest for now) with an improbable buddy who surely treasures their peculiar friendship.

We each cognize the woody connected trash day. The cardinal is to get the trash cans retired to the thoroughfare successful clip for the garbage pick-up. For astir of us, it’s a chore. But for 1 small lad who lives successful San Ramon, trash time is filled with excitement and anticipation.

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Every Tuesday for the past 2 years, 5-year-old Finn Maier would perceive for that acquainted dependable and tally outside. “There is Todd!” Finn calls retired arsenic his person pulls up to the curb.

“He primitively was a small shy and helium would conscionable question and present we’re buddies,” explained Todd Gonzales, a operator who works for garbage and recycling collecting institution Alameda County Industries.

Gonzales has been successful the concern since 1994. He tells KPIX-TV successful San Francisco helium has met a batch radical on his routes but nary similar Finn. “Every day, 5 o’clock successful the greeting — rainfall oregon radiance — helium is determination with a large smile. ‘Hi Todd!’ He is truthful happy, it’s contagious. It makes my day,” said Gonzales with a grin.

Finn’s household moved to the Bay Area close earlier the pandemic. “Everything unopen down and we were fundamentally each alone,” said Kim Maier, Finn’s mom.

For Finn — who was calved with Down Syndrome — trash time during COVID became thing helium could look guardant to. It was thing helium could number on. “It was really 1 of the archetypal relationships helium was capable to make due to the fact that helium got to cognize Todd consistently,” said Kim.

And truthful a unsocial relationship blossomed betwixt the peculiar small lad and his play visitor.

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“He does arsenic overmuch for maine arsenic I bash for him,” Todd admitted. “I thrust disconnected with a large smile. So it makes my time too. I americium thankful for that.”

“One day, Todd came and Finn was gone and helium said, ‘Hey, wherever is our small buddy?” And I said, ‘Oh, helium started schoolhouse and helium leaves earlier you get present now,'” said Kim. “And past the adjacent week, Todd was determination again. He changed his full way conscionable truthful helium could spot Finn earlier helium went to school.”

“I didn’t privation to miss it. I didn’t privation him to miss it either,” Gonzales said.

The 2 friends had a bittersweet past sojourn connected Thursday, with Gonzales making a peculiar travel to the Maier home. Finn’s household is moving to Southern California so, for their past gathering earlier the move, Todd brought Finn a peculiar gift. “It’s a garbage truck! I got a garbage truck!” Finn shouted aft pulling a artifact motortruck retired of a acquisition bag.

Finn gave Todd a contiguous too: a publication of memories of the 2 of them.

“That’s my favourite book. You cognize that. That’s my favourite one,” Todd told Finn earlier they shared a last hug and Todd continued connected his way.

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It’s a relationship that some volition retrieve for a lifetime. Todd says helium hopes the adjacent garbage collector the household has successful San Diego volition instrumentality bully attraction of Finn down the road.