South Louisville garbage man, two-year-old boy form unique friendship

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Sometimes the best friendships are built by the most unlikely partners.

Patrick Gullion and two-year-old Isaac’s bond is built on the innocence of a toddler and the unconditional love of a father.

The two met in September, when Isaac and his family moved into the neighborhood just off Dixie Highway, a neighborhood serviced by Gullion’s trash company Hometown Hauling.

Just a few days into their move, Isaac noticed the sound created by the garbage truck.

“It’s got a loud rumble and he can hear the trash cans going,” his mother Chelcee Page said. “So he’s like, ‘mom, outside. Let’s go. Come on.’”

He would drag her outside to wave at the men making their weekly trash route. A small gesture that caught Gullion’s eye while he was driving the truck.

“I was having a bad day and I come pulling into this little court, and happened to look over, and the kid was out here smiling and waving,” Gullion said. “And he kind of cheered me up, kind of made my day.”

Isaac’s burst of energy was infectious enough to inspire Gullion to return the favor.

“I went home that night and I was talking to my son,” Gullion said. “And [we] shot up to Walmart. And my son just so happened to find the little garbage truck, little paw patrol garbage truck in the aisle and that’s the first thing we picked up.”

The following day, Gullion gifted the truck to Isaac.

“Oh it made me cry,” Page said. “We don’t really know very many people out here. So seeing new people, new faces that love my son and appreciate his smile and how adorably rotten he is, it really touches my heart and makes me happy.”

Ever since, the two have developed a friendship.

Gullion frequently stops by their home along his route to connect with Isaac, hopeful his good deed will inspire others to do the same.

“Don’t let the chain of love end with you,” Gullion said.

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