It's hard enough to be a garbage man on most days. You spend your mornings going from house to house, having to pick up the trash from peoples driveways, hoping that everything is in its right place and that nothing will leak today.
For Rick Neatherlin, it's much harder. When his wife and mother were diagnosed with cancer, he must have thought he was the unluckiest person in the world. But then he met Isaac.
Isaac Williams is no ordinary boy. With stage four cancer of the nervous system, his family has exhausted many of the traditional forms of treatment, and he will be starting radiation therapy soon. He also loves to watch the garbage trucks come up and down his block.
For many, it's a day that requires extra chores, but for Isaac, it's a reason to get excited. When Neatherlin found out that Isaac was also fighting this disease, it shook his understanding of the world.
"Man, he's two years old; never had that chance to even be a kid yet, you know, and to see him go through this..." Neatherlin said. "That hit home."
So he talked it over with his crew and they decided to do something for this strong boy.
Last week, it was a very special garbage day for the Williams family. Instead of just picking up their trash, Neatherlin and his coworkers decided to give something to this struggling family.
When they rolled up to the the driveway and saw Isaac, they hopped out of their trucks and unloaded an assortment of presents for the two-year-old.
"I just wanted to do something for that little boy and their family; that's just how we are," said Neatherlin.
The toys included a toy garbage truck for Isaac to play with during the rest of the week. The whole crew spent the morning playing with Isaac and talking to his parents.
"The support. That's what it's about, this little man here. I want to support him, I want to see him go through his graduation. That's what I told his mom," Neatherlin said. "Anything I can do to help him get that far, I'm there for him."
His mother was overwhelmed with the generosity from the workers. "It means the world," she said.
