Boy who lost everything in fire gets surprise from classmates

October 2, 2019

A Tennessee third-grader said his “mind was blown” after his classmates chipped in to replace what he lost when his house burned down in a fire. Daniel Hunt’s peers at Philadelphia Elementary School secretly started a toy drive — and last week, after gathering a pile of new toys for their friend, the third graders awaited Hunt’s arrival at school.

Video captured the moment Hunt walked into the classroom, shocked by what he saw.

“It’s all for you!” a student told Hunt, before he beckoned all of his classmates for a group hug.

Hunt’s mother Kristen told CBS affiliate WVLT she was equally astonished by the gesture. “I sat and cried at work for a good 45 minutes,” she said. “I’m just so overwhelmed at all the love and the community coming together for us. It’s just very overwhelming and a blessing.”

The Hunts are staying with family until they get back on their feet — but the third grader now knows he has a support system at school, too.