EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. -- Wally Richardson, a 95-year-old veteran of the Navy, will be honored as “Veteran of the Year.”
Richardson said for the past 15 years he’s been helping students at Marina Village Middle School in El Dorado Hills start their day off on a positive note.
ABC10 learned of Richardson after a mother, Gina Arnold, posted on Facebook about Richardson and what he does every morning outside school a few months ago. Arnold said her daughter liked going to school early in the morning to speak with the “cute little old man.”
Richardson says positive messages to children such as “be kind, whenever possible” and “what you do makes you what you are.”
Richardson said ABC10 was the first to interview him a few months ago, outside of a newspaper, and his acts of kindness spread quickly right after.
He hopes more people will realize the power of kindness.
"I hope they'll think love and kindness in people," Richardson said. "I tell them energy follows thought. Everybody I see. If you don't think the energy nothing happens so if you think love energy goes out. If you think hate it comes out."
He will be honored for spreading positivity to the children and his service to the Navy as El Dorado County’s veteran of the year through the El Dorado County Veterans Alliance.
He served in World War II.
"I love El Dorado Hills," Richardson said. "It's the nicest, friendliest town. Everywhere I go "Hi Wally." Kind of embarrassed can't get away with anything."
Continue the conversation with ABC10’s Ananda Rochita.