Taco Bell
Army Lt. Col. Robert Risdon had had a long day and was hungry. He stopped when he noticed a Taco Bell. Before placing his order, he scanned the featured menu. Just as he was about to pay he noticed two boys enter the joint.
What he did next wasn't out of his usual behaviour. But this would make him go viral.
Senior Bowl Coach
Lt. Col. Robert Risdon had stopped at a Taco Bell in Greenville, Alabama, on his way back from the Senior Bowl with his colleague, Columbus Lions head coach Jason Gibson. Originally scheduled to play for the arena football squad, he was forced to sit out due to an injury.
Risdon, undeterred by the injuries, picked up a clipboard and became a coach. He's the type of person who won't cease being useful even if he's not going to be on the field.
Heart Set Right
Jason Gibson, the Lions' head coach, was well aware of his colleague's capabilities. Being a soldier his first priority is to protect and assist others is part of that. Gibson saw Risdon's perseverance in the face of adversity as a testimonial to both his bravery and kindness.
Gibson was there in Taco Bell when the whole incident happened. Gibson took out his phone and began recording after he realized what Lt. Col. Risdon had in mind when he approached the two strangers
Snack Break
But how did this random snack break let to them getting fame? As the two strangers walked into the restaurant, night had began to fall. It was also raining outside, which added to the drama of what was going on. The two individuals then entered the establishment soaking wet.
What happened next piqued the interest of the other patrons at the fast food restaurant.
Experience
Lt. Col. Robert Risdon, originally from Illinois, had been stationed in Georgia due to military obligations. At Fort Benning, he was the deputy commander of the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade. He observed the two teenagers in the Taco Bell the way he had been trained to do as an experienced soldier who had been around the block.
Risdon's eyes were drawn to the fact that their clothes appeared to be a little older, a little more worn. They were drenched from the rain. The larger one, clearly older, had his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
Annoyed
They were going from one table to other. Each time they would move to next table the people from previous table will be left with annoyed faces. Risdon was curiously watching them.
The two teenagers got closer and closer to Lt. Col. Risdon, who was wondering what they were doing there.
Curious
As they closed in, he could hear the rain banging on the glass outside. What could he possibly want from Taco Bell? They didn't appear to be there for a Cheesy Gordita Crunch or a Crunchwrap Supreme.
Risdon, like everyone else in the restaurant, will soon discover why they were there.
Raising Funds For Church
The two boys finally approached Risdon and Gibson. They asked the older men if they wanted to purchase some home-baked goodies and sweets. It was reasonably priced, and they were raising funds for their local church.
It turns out that this is exactly what they were doing outside in the rain. They were apparently extremely unsuccessful outside due to bad weather, so they tried their luck indoors.
Cashless
Lt. Col. Robert Risdon and coach Jason Gibson saw that the two youngsters were doing genuine charitable work. Risdon and the boys did have one thing in common: they were both working to make the world a better place. Unfortunately, Risdon informed them that he couldn't assist them by purchasing baked goods.
It wasn't that he didn't want to help but he just never carried cash with him. He had his cards on him since they feel more efficient.
Dejected And Hungry
The boys seemed to be leaving Taco Bell dejected and hungry, which is never a good way to leave Taco Bell. They had made no sales in the restaurant, and it was almost late. With the weather outside of Taco Bell looking terrible and it approaching dark, it didn't look like their day was going to end happily.
But it looked like Lt. Col. Risdon had something else planned for the boys and Taco Bell.
Relatble
There aren't many people in the world who have gone through what Risdon has. He understands what it's like to be hungry, and he understands what it's like to be damp.
“I can’t even count the number of times I was cold, wet, and hungry in the Army,” he said.
Thanking Them
Risdon then asked the boys whether they were hungry instead of turning them away. The two boys nodded timidly. They'd been out in the cold and rain, starving. Even though they were selling baked goods, they weren't going to spend the money they had set aside for the sale because it was for the church.
Risdon understood and appreciated what these youngsters were doing and wanted to do something to thank them.
Recording The Whole Thing
At that point, Jason Gibson took out his cell phone and began filming what was going on in front of him between his colleague and the two boys. If he hadn't, this story could have been confined to the Taco Bell. He is the person behind the scenes in this story who made it all possible.
He eventually shared what he had recorded. As of today, it has received approximately 40,000 shares and nearly two million views.
Growing Boys
Boys of this age are growing and can consume a lot of food. The boys were 9 and 13, so you can imagine how hungry they were after selling baked goods for the benefit of their church for hours in the rain. Teenage guys are normally quite hungry and can eat a lot of food.
These youngsters were very hungry and ready to feast. Risdon was overjoyed to see the boys eat and fill their stomachs to their hearts' content.
Happy To Help
Lt. Col. Robert Risdon knew the moment the boys approached him that he would help them. He didn't have any cash, but as a card user, he could still buy them dinner. When the two boys approached Risdon's table and asked for change, he felt he had to help them.
And then one of the boys said something that warmed his heart.
Salute
Risdon received possibly the nicest appreciation from the youngest of the duo, "You know, I want to be just like you someday." The boy even gave him a salute. "He was saluting me with his left hand while holding a taco in his right, which is the proper hand to use," Risdon said.
"So I made him put down the taco and taught him the proper way to salute, which will come in handy if he actually grows up to be a soldier."
Act Of Kindness
According to Lt. Col. Risdon, it is acts of kindness like this that keep the world turning. He draws his own viewpoint from his own experiences, as he described. Indeed, when asked how it felt to be a hero, the response was thoughtful.
“I think throughout my childhood I was around people who taught me there’s more to life than taking care of yourself,” he said.
Admiration
BJ, the youngest, expressed his admiration for Lt. Col. Robert Risdon's service to our country. Furthermore, he told Risdon that he aspires to be just like him when he grows up. There is no better role model than Risdon.
Jason Gibson, the man who filmed the entire episode, revealed why he took out his phone and began filming. "You see all the bad stuff on TV," he observed. "I'm sick of it."
Good Advice
Lt. Col. Risdon gave the boys some sound advice that they may use every day for the rest of their lives. “When you’re older,” he said, “and you’re in a position to help someone out, don’t pass it up.”
As far as he was concerned, he was passing on kindness. Indeed, let us hope that the boys would follow in his footsteps and show some kindness and good deeds in their life.
Taco Bell Heroes
"My kids were running through my mind the whole time," Risdon told the media. "The thought of my kids in their situation broke my heart, so it made me react and want to help the boys out and the least I could do was buy them some tacos."
But, while the Army commander deserves to be admired and respected, don't forget about the boys. They were stranded in the rain, laboring tirelessly outside to gather funds for their church. "Everything was, ‘Yes sir, no sir,'" Gibson told when asked about the boys. "Whoever is raising them is doing a great job."