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WEYMOUTH — Abigail Adams Middle School sixth-grader Lucas Botel has developed an unexpected friendship with a UPS worker.
Since the beginning of this school year, UPS delivery driver Matt Walsh has been making deliveries to the Abigail Adams Middle School. During his deliveries, Walsh noticed sixth-grader Lucas standing in the window of a classroom waving to him.
Lucas, who’s in the Communication Enhancement Program, is a high-needs student with deficits in the areas of communication and behavior. Within the Communication Enhancement Program, Special Needs Teacher Nicole Ruprecht assists Lucas with the strategies he needs to be successful.
“He loves trucks, trains and the people who operate them,” Ruprecht said. “When he saw the UPS truck come he was just so excited and wanted to get the UPS man’s attention. He would just stand on a chair as I held him and just wave as he tried to get the UPS man’s attention. Once he did, it kind of just took off from there.”
Beginning with that initial wave, their friendship blossomed. Waves turned into honks, honks turned into conversations and conversations resulted in a friendship between the two.
Their friendship has assisted Lucas in listening, talking and responding in reciprocal communication. Walsh has also gifted Lucas a UPS bag filled with many items including a water bottle, light and more.
As seen in the video, Lucas assists Walsh during his school deliveries by bringing stuff onto his truck.
“I’d pull up and I’d see him every time in the window looking out so I just started the beeping, and then we got to talking and now we are good friends,” Walsh said. “We see each other every time I come here now. This can be a grueling job sometimes so when I pull up and I see him standing on the desk waving out the window it brings a smile, absolutely.”
Rain or shine, Walsh would come to the window to chat with Lucas. He was in route daily and as long as the school had placed an order they saw him. Even during remote learning on Mondays, Walsh came to Ruprecht’s window and would chat with Lucas via Ruprecht’s Chromebook.
Due to the holiday season, Walsh’s delivery route has changed but Lucas and the staff at Abigail Adams hope to see him making deliveries to the school once again soon.
The video showcasing their friendship was created and produced by the Abigail Adams Middle School Film Club.
“The video was phenomenal. Thank you so much for sharing it with us,” Lucas’s mother Danielle Ceurvels and step-father Michael Grant said. “Matt the UPS man has been so generous and gracious to Lucas. The video made our day/week/year.”
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