UPS driver delivers the gift of friendship to Weymouth middle school student

WEYMOUTH, Mass. — This is the busy season for UPS drivers, with Christmas just two days away.

One driver on the South Shore is delivering something that is priceless. The gift of friendship.

While making his deliveries one sixth-grade student at Abigail Adams Middle School in Weymouth quickly caught the attention of UPS driver Matt Walsh.

“You could see him pop up on a chair with his teacher, Nicole, waving telling me to go beep, beep, beep. That got my attention and from there it just kind of the relationship just kept growing and growing,” Walsh said.

That unexpected relationship with 11-year-old Lucas Botel, a high-needs student who struggles with communication and behavior, soon blossomed.

“It started as a wave and then developed into this beautiful friendship where he listens and talks and responds and they have this great reciprocal communication going,” said Nicole Ruprecht, Lucas’ teacher.

Ruprecht said the conversations Lucas and Walsh have had have helped Lucas immensely.

“They have developed this great friendship. Lucas is just so filled of kindness and it’s contagious and Matt’s kindness and respect is contagious right back,” she said.

Lucas often helps Walsh with his deliveries at school.

Rain or shine and even snow Walsh comes to the classroom window to chat with Lucas.

“Some of these weeks leading up to Christmas are crazy, so when I see him it’s fun to get away from the job for about 2 minutes a day and just have a conversation with him and his teacher, it’s fun,” Walsh said.

Even on days Lucas was learning remotely, Walsh would visit Lucas’ classroom and use his teacher’s computer to video chat with him.

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