A young man from Riverview, N.B., is inspiring his community after he started up his own business shovelling driveways and using the profits to help someone very special in his life.
When you meet 12-year-old Rhett Buckley, it’s not hard to tell he knows how to dig in and work hard.
“It’s nice. I like being able to help out,” Rhett said.
But there is another side to Rhett you don’t instantly see behind his winter cap and it’s inspiring his parents and his community.
“I can honestly say he is just a special kid. I don’t know a ton of other kids that would do that,” said his father, Jason Buckley.
His father said that when Rhett was only nine years old, he took up shovelling people’s driveways to clear the boredom and earn some extra cash.
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But instead of pocketing all the profits for himself, he decided, rather unselfishly, to share the wealth with his older brother Landyn, 14.
“Since he has autism, he can’t go out very much and he wants to and so I felt bad and I was like, here we go, and I gave him money every time,” said Rhett, who splits the profits with his older brother.
His best friend Damon Walton also pitches in, inspired by Rhett’s devotion to his brother, he said.
“Landyn can’t go out and do it by himself because obviously, it is a struggle for him. So what Rhett is doing, that is fantastic.”
The money allows both brothers to get some little extras the family would otherwise not be able to afford, said Rhett’s father.
“I would love to be able to send him off to the store whenever he wants and we just don’t have that,” he said.
Even though business has been sparse this year, along with the snow, Rhett said they made a “decent” amount of money so far this winter and he would never dream of leaving his brother out of the profit sharing.
They often take their earnings to the corner store for simple rewards.
Landyn says he looks forward to getting his favourite treats, thanks to his brother.
“Doritos and Mountain Dew,” he said.
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