CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Most people get excited when they see a UPS truck pulling up because it means a package is arriving. But for one little boy, it's not the packages, it's the big brown trucks themselves that bring him joy.
“All of a sudden, we were seeing UPS drivers on the way home and leaving. It was just like UPS on steroids all of a sudden,” said Clarissa Alcazar.
That’s because the UPS hub in Chula Vista, California, is on the route Alcazar jogs with her 2-year-old son Marco in a stroller.
“He was floored. I mean, he was so excited. It was the coolest thing and so we just made it part of our routine," she added
A routine that includes waving to the drivers, including Ron Jimenez, who started noticing Marco in the last few months.
“He's usually in the same place, so as we drive out, we honk, we wave, say hola!” said Jimenez.
Marco loves the UPS trucks so much, he now has UPS clothing, a little uniform, even pajamas.
“To see somebody who's appreciative of us and give us a kind smile and a wave that starts our day off with just a bang, and it brings hope back to us,” Jimenez said.
And it's not just the drivers who feel that hope. When Marco visited the UPS facility recently, he got to drive the toy UPS truck they keep on hand, which means he got to deliver packages of his own.
"Oh, my gosh, that just melted everybody's hearts," said Jimenez.
So much so, UPS decided to get Marco his very own truck.
“They gave it a complete overhaul, repainted it, put all our emblems and stickers all over it. The truck number is actually Marco's birthday,” Jimenez said.
So now, on many mornings, you'll find Marco next to his little UPS truck, waving to the big UPS trucks.
“Every time I have that thought, I get emotional about it,” said Alcazar. “He is so special to me that being able to share him with other people and give them joy, it's just, I have no words to describe how awesome that is.”
It's hard to say who gets more out of this, Marco and his mom or the folks at UPS. They all agree that during this tough year, something that may seem small has had the positive impact they've all needed.
This story was originally published by Virginia Cha at KGTV.
