BLACKSBURG, Va. – You've likely heard that one random act of kindness inspires another. In this case, that's exactly what happened.
Earlier this week, 10 News told you about Brandon Jarrell who was caught on camera buying a T-shirt for a child he didn't know at last Saturday's Virginia Tech football game. This Saturday, the man behind the camera teamed up with Virginia Tech to give Jarrell a surprise of his own.
A simple gesture, one Hokie to another. Wallace Andrus said he couldn't help but capture it on film.
"It was just one of those things. He started coming up the steps and you saw him just take the shirt out of the bag, and I was like man this is something special ... It was really cool just to see that little kid's face just light right up," Andrus said.
That was last Saturday. Andrus said once he posted the story on Facebook, it didn't take long before going viral.
"It just went wild. By Sunday night I think I had 25,000," Andrus said.
Saturday, the video had more than 150,000 views. Andrus said since then Virginia Tech got in touch with him, asking to donate a ball to Jarrell signed by coach Justin Fuente, and Andrus said his own company, Alcova, wanted to do something special to surprise him as well.
"He's coming to the game thinking he's going to sit outside in this awesome rain that's coming, so we're going to put him up in the suite," Andrus said.
Jarrell was shocked to receive the gifts. He had no idea he was on camera when he gave the shirt away, but says he hopes it inspires others to do good.
"That's what I would hope that people would take out of seeing the video and sharing the video. No matter where you're at, always try to shed a positive light on people," Jarrell said.
"It's just important that people continue to do things like this. It's so small, but I didn't do it. I was sitting right behind the kid, I didn't do it, and it kind of makes you think why?" Andrus said.
Andrus said what he could do was thank a man who, through a simple gesture, changed his perspective on life. Jarrell said he couldn't be more thankful.
"I'm excited, it's going to be a good one. I guess I don't have to worry about getting rained on," Jarrell said.