VIRAL: Foreigner buys new shoes for barefooted street kid

MANILA -- The mall was about to close, and its staff were all set to go home after a day's work when a tall, tattooed guy entered the Nike store. He was looking for a pair of shoes for a barefooted street kid in tattered clothes. 

The tattooed guy, a foreigner, immediately approached Ahyan Yerro, the store's assistant supervisor, to ask for assistance. 

"Nagulat ako," Yerro told ABS-CBN News. "First time kong makakita ng foreigner na may kasamang street kid." 

According to Yerro, she and her staff made sure their customers would get the assistance they needed. "Talagang VIP treatment po kami, we made sure na talagang makakapili sila," she said.

The tattooed man let the boy choose the shoes he wanted. There were many options displayed before his eyes. But he chose running shoes, which they got for 40% off.

"Tuwang-tuwa kami para sa bata," Yerro quipped. She said the foreigner even bought food for the child, and asked where they could buy new clothes. 

According to Yerra's staff, Raymond Seneca, he often sees the boy selling Sampaguita and asking for some change outside the mall. 

Perhaps, he's only waiting for a good heart. That person came that night, and even bought the Sampaguita he was selling. 

Spreading good vibes

Seeing that this act of kindness could inspire many people, Yerro decided to share good vibes by posting the story on Facebook.  

"Sabi ko pa sa bata habang suot nya ang sapatos na napili nya, ingatan mo yan at magpasalamat kay sir kase hindi lahat nabibigyang ng pagkakataon na mabigyan ng shoes na ganyan. Sagot nya, 'Opo ate.' Napangiti ako at natuwa para sa kanya," Yerro wrote in the post. 

Apart from Yerro and her staff, another person was able to capture the rare moment of kindness. Mara Karmela, a government employee, was also inside the store. 

According to Karmela, a lot of people were staring at the boy when they came in. "The child was very shy and did not speak much while inside the store," she told ABS-CBN News.

His face seemed to brighten up when he started wearing his new pair of kicks, which at first he refused to wear because other kids might get jealous and steal them. 

Karmela, who was touched with the foreigner's kindness, said she almost cried after seeing the big smile on the kid's face. "I was having a bad day at work. And all the crazy things going on. It was really a good reminder to not give up," she added. 

Staying anonymous 

In a Facebook message sent to Yerro, the foreigner thanked her for writing about his good deed. "I was shown your post today and saw a lot of people liked and shared it. Thank you for writing what you did, it was very nice," he wrote. 

According to him, the boy's name is Warren. He is 14 years old, and he lives in Pasig City. 

He also shared to Yerro their experience buying clothes at the department store. "There were 8 people that helped Warren find clothes. He looked amazing when he walked out and had a smile from ear to ear," he said. 

ABS-CBN News tried to interview the foreigner, but he refused to entertain questions due to "his work schedule and limited time." He also said that his deed has already received enough publicity, encouraging others to do the same.

"This is how we can make the world a better place," he said.