Mom at Loss for Words When She Realizes Boy Filling Potholes in Video Is Her Son
When things don’t go our way, our instant response is often to complain. We moan, whine and sometimes use creative and colorful language to express how frustrated we are.
It takes a very level-headed person with wisdom to see past the initial disappointment and where to focus next. It takes a very selfless person to look out for other people’s disappointments and patch them up.
That’s just the kind of person Monte Scott of Muskegon Heights, Michigan, is. The 12-year-old boy has a huge heart and an impressive work ethic, quietly helping out and not expecting any notice.
But then his mother, Trinell Scott, got a message.
“I was at work, and I got a text message from my niece,” Scott told WZZM, “and she’d seen the video on Facebook.”
It turns out that Monte had seen a need and stepped up to take care of it himself.
“I didn’t want people messing up their cars like my mom did,” Monte said. “If somebody were to drive down the street and hit a pothole, and then would have to pay like $600-700 to get their car fixed, they would be mad.”
Monte had a half day at school, but instead of using it as most other kids might, he loaded up a trash barrel with dirt, got a shovel and quietly started filling in potholes.
“I was thinking about doing it for months,” the young man told the Muskegon Times. “It was a perfect day. I got up, put on some shoes, filled up a garbage can with dirt and put the dirt in the potholes.”
“People complain and complain, and the city never fills them up. And I feel horrible because they never do it. They should fix the streets.”
People noticed the unusual consideration Monte was displaying and made sure he knew how much they appreciated his efforts. Some thanked him verbally, others handed him change.
“The city bus man stopped me, took a photo with me and said, ‘Send the bill to the city,'” Monte said. “Another woman bought me a whole bunch of chips and candy to say thank you.”
“He just took it upon himself to (fix the road),” Scott said. “That’s just the type of kid he is. When he sees there’s a problem or a need, and he thinks he can fix it, he’ll try to fix it.”
His mother said this isn’t the first time her son has made a point of helping others. She said he’ll help seniors with their groceries and pick up garbage. People have noticed his diligence, and the 12-year-old has some big plans for the future.
“I want to go to college to be a mayor,” he said. “If I were mayor here, I would go to the homeless shelter and help people. I’d get them clothes and shoes and all the stuff they need to help them back on their feet.”
“I’d fix the roads. And help out around the community. I would have a big gathering for the community, where people could eat, play basketball and get together.”
“Now people see that we in Muskegon Heights … do produce good kids,” Scott concluded. “Everything is not bad out of Muskegon Heights.”
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