Hacienda employee’s act of kindness caught on video

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - An Evansville woman caught a special moment on camera and the community is responding in a big way.

It was a busy Sunday on First Avenue, but it caused Amy Naas to pause and capture a moment a of kindness as a Hacienda employee stopped what he was doing to help an elderly woman cross the busy road.

“When we did get in the parking lot I did holler over at him and let him know that he made my day,” Naas explains.

Nass says she was on her way to church last Sunday when she saw Frank West helping that woman. She decided to share the video on Facebook.

“I was just excited to see someone do the right thing,” Nass says.

The shares on social media brought Nass on Thursday to meet Frank West.

“I told you you made my day that day, but I just don’t think you realize how many people you’ve touched by a simple gesture that you think is not even a big deal,” Nass said to West.

The Hacienda employee, father, and friend said the attention was something he was never seeking and to him, it’s pretty simple.

“I’m a nice guy, I help anybody that needs help,” says West.

To West, it was no big deal, but for those that know him, it was so much more.

“If anybody in the world had a right to be bitter, or down about life in general, it would’ve been Frank,” Hacienda Manager Heather Morse says.

West lost his 16-year-old daughter to Spina Bifida just a few months ago. He said these hard times never stop him from setting a positive example for his family.

“I got a son so I still got to be here for him," West explains. "He’s 16, he’ll be 18 in two years and he took it hard, so I still gotta be the man of the house.”

As the video continues to be shared, Nass hopes this simple gesture will inspire others to spread kindness too.

“I want him to know how much of a positive effect that he’s been on so many people who have shared and made comments on it and maybe it’s the start of something,” says Naas.

West rides his bike to work every day, rain or shine. The Hacienda family wanted to help Frank and his wife just a little bit and donated a night’s stay at a hotel and money for a nice dinner.

As for a car, stay tuned, we plan to continue following this story.

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