FedEx driver surprises girl with cupcakes on her 6th birthday: 'Be kind, especially now'

A FedEx delivery worker surprised a little girl on his route with ice cream cupcakes for her birthday.

Jodan Price of Fishers, Indiana has worked for FedEx for 36 years, but to his recollection, hadn’t visited the home of Emma Paternoster until April 30, the day of her 6th birthday. When delivering a package for Emma’s father, he learned it was birthday.

“I knew she wasn’t in school because of the pandemic so I wanted to make this a special day,” Price, 61, a father to two grown sons, tells Yahoo Life.

So Price went to Dairy Queen and selected an ice cream cupcake, but recalling that Emma had a sister, he ordered another. “Then I bought more, in case her parents wanted some,” he says.

Emma’s mother Liz, a high school teacher, tells Yahoo Life that she had recorded the surprise, having assumed that Price was delivering Emma’s pre-ordered birthday gift. “We were shocked — I am a hugger and [instinctively] stepped forward and he stepped back,” she tells Yahoo Life, explaining that social distancing made affection impossible.

Price quickly left, but wanting to learn his name, Liz flagged down several FedEx trucks on her street that day, asking about the mystery delivery worker. She even tweeted the video, tagging FedEx and Dairy Queen, hoping that someone would name him.

A few days later, one of the thousands of tweets came from Price’s son, who helped connect his dad to Liz. But Liz didn’t know she would see Price again — until he dropped by the next day. Having seen him from the window, Liz could film Emma opening the door.

“Mr. Price!” says Liz in the video. “...We are so appreciative to have you in our neighborhood.”

Emma and her sister made thank you cards and signs for Price, which they stuck to their door. Liz also learned that Price’s birthday is in January, and wants to surprise him in some way.

The family has learned a lot about their delivery driver — many of the tweets are from friends and family who vouched for Price’s kindness. “They’ve all said, ‘I am not surprised,’” says Liz.

Price says he only wanted Emma to have a good birthday. “I always tell my sons to be kind, especially now,” he tells Yahoo Life. “I’m trying to keep everyone in good spirits.”

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