SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Back in August 2020, William Chan was at his home in Sacramento, recovering from COVID-19, when he saw a delivery notification. He said after reviewing video from his Nest camera, he noticed the UPS delivery driver didn't just drop off his package.
"I was wondering what he was doing. He picked up something on the ground and then spent some time on the grass," Chan said. "That’s when I realized he was actually kneeling down and fixing the flag."
That delivery driver was Wes Lester, who had been driving for UPS for the last three years.
"I was honestly just trying to make good time that day," Lester said. "I saw the flag down and was like, ‘Oh, gotta fix that.’"
So he did. And that simple action, Chan said, was just what he needed in his moment of isolation. He had been sick for a month with coronavirus and had spent 12 days in the hospital.
When Chan saw Lester prop up his flag, he saw human kindness in a time when bad news was seemingly the only news.
"I just felt like, just a great sense of hope," he said.
To some, it's just a flag, but to Chan it's an object worthy of respect. After a 20-year wait, William’s parents emigrated to the US from Hong Kong when he was 10 years old.
"New immigrants are usually more appreciative because they know what they had to fight to get what we have right now—it’s not granted automatically; you actually have to work hard," Chan said.
These two strangers had a common appreciation and love for the American flag. Lester's dad and grandpa both served in the military -- his grandpa in the Army and dad in the Marine Corps.
"They’re very patriotic and I was raised very patriotic," Lester said.
Bewildered, Lester said what he did wasn't a noble act. He was just doing what he was taught to do.
"To be honest, I'm not sure how it's much of a story, but I'm glad I cheered him up," Lester said. "I wasn’t expecting any type of recognition, just doing my job. I saw a flag on the floor and had to put it back up."
While Lester doesn't believe what he did was worthy of such praise, Chan said it’s a story he’ll continue to tell. He said small acts of kindness deserve more praise than they get.
"Even though this driver might not know I’ve been appreciating his work, his constant daily delivery, but also his respect for our house and this country," said Chan.
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