Sanitation Worker Digs Through Garbage to Help a Stranger

Tim Bean

8/24/2012

Here is another story to make us feel good and know that there are those who mean and do good – Enjoy.

Today’s feel good story I think shows the inherent kindness all of us are bless with.  Sure, this does not mean that all of us act on that kindness, but I believe that deep down inside each of us it is there, waiting, and wanting, to come out.  For anyone who has ever done a deed of kindness knows that the feeling of doing good is infectious.  Doing good for another makes you as the do-gooder feel good too.  The thing is about doing good is that there really is no size of good gesture that isn’t capable of making someone’s day, if not life, a little better.  Sometimes all it takes is a smile or holding open a door for a stranger, other times we are presented with something that may be more of a challenge, and thus making it a little tougher for us to do that good deed, Gary Gaddist was faced with just such a challenge.

Danielle Hatherley Carroll had thought she lost her wedding ring; she looked everywhere for it, but to no avail.  She soon remembered that she had gone to Battery Park earlier, and thought that she might have accidentally thrown it away.  So, she and her husband head back down to the park to root through the garbage can(s).  When they got there, they noticed that the cans had already been emptied, they were out of luck – or were they.  They noticed a garbage truck nearby and thought that it must have the ring somewhere in its bowels; however when they got to the truck no one was inside it to speak to, so they left a note on the windshield explaining their situation.

Gary Gaddist, a 12 year city employee found the note, and contacted Mrs. Carroll, who then explained everything to him.  It would have been easy for him, or anyone to simply express condolences and move on with their lives, but Mr. Gaddist decided to take the plunge (almost literally) into all of the garbage in the back of his truck, to try and find a stranger’s wedding ring.  Well, his intent to do good by a fellow human was not fruitless, because Gary Gaddist found Danielle’s wedding ring in about 1 hour; and quickly called her to let her know.  When asked why he would help a perfect stranger in such a fashion, he said, “It was a love thing.”  Yes, Gary, it is a love thing, and thank you for showing us there is still some of that love in this world.

A Good man.

It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.  (Tom Brokaw)