Whether or peaceful or violent, protests can create quite a lot of waste. So, after recent protests in Buffalo, New York, one teen decided to do his part by cleaning up the leftover debris. Afterward, the community came together to thank him in the best way possible…
Cleaning Up After The Protests
It all started when Antonio Gwynn Jr. from Buffalo saw the recent Black Lives Matter protests on television. While he agreed with the protests, Gwynn said he just couldn’t bear the thought of innocent people getting hurt from the glass and garbage on the streets, Bailey Avenue in particular. So, starting at 2 am, the teen headed out on his own with a trash bag. For over ten hours, Gwynn picked up trash and debris all by himself! In fact, when the city clean up crew arrived the next morning, the teen had done almost all the work!
Thankfully, Gywnn would ultimately receive a thank you for his hard work. As more than a few saw his incredible efforts, the local teenager quickly became the talk of the town. Among those that heard the story was Matt Block, a local man with a barely used 2004 Mustang just collecting dust in his driveway…
The First Gift For The Teen
After Block heard about Gwynn, he simply needed to know more about the local hero. Then, when the man looked at the teen’s Facebook, he saw a recent post where the young man was asking for recommendations for used cars. Block thought of his gently used Mustang and thought it seemed perfect! “I couldn’t come to grips with selling it, and this was a good way for me to get rid of it and know someone that gets it is going to appreciate it,” Block said. Within just a few hours, Block had managed to contact Gwynn. However, he had no idea how much the car would actually mean to the 18-year-old.
When Block offered Gwynn the car, the teen became overwhelmed with emotions. Not only would he earn a free car, but, as it turns out, Gwynn’s mother, who passed away in 2018, drove the same exact car. “The car he sent me a picture of was the same exact car that my mom first had gotten,” Block recalled. “Same color, same everything.” It seemed that fate had always intended for this car to go to Gywnn. And that was just the beginning of the young man’s luck!
More Thank-Yous
A few more people reached out to Gwynn after seeing his incredible cleaning efforts. Bob Briceland, a local insurance agency owner, gave Gwynn a year of free auto insurance for his new car. “I just felt compelled to help him out. We just need to get together our whole city and show people how there’s so many good people here,” Briceland commented.
Meanwhile, Medaille College in Buffalo also decided to help Gwynn brighten his future. When the college learned that Gwynn planned to attend their college, they offered him a full scholarship! “I literally stopped, pulled over, and then I started crying, and so did my great-aunt and my little cousin,” he said.
The teen says he wants to study business and open a cleaning business afterward. As such, Gywnn hopes to give back to the community that gave him so much for many more years. “I appreciate everything everyone is doing for me,” he stated, touched by the response.