BARTOW, FL (WFTS) -- A Bartow High School student gave his classmate a pair of shoes after noticing his broken boots.
Carlos Perez, a sophomore, noticed Joseph Brown could use a different pair of shoes.
The two teens have a Criminal Justice class together at Bartow High School.
"I saw that his were falling apart. I felt bad for him so I decided to give him mine because I did not want him to get bullied or get made fun of," said Carlos Perez.
Perez asked their teacher if he could speak to Brown in the hallway so other students would not see. Perez pulled out a pair of shoes from his backpack.
"I was respecting his feelings. I did not want to embarrass him in front of everybody. I asked the teacher if I could walk outside with him and talk to him," said Perez.
Brown, who has autism, told ABC Action News he loves Christmas and this was very special.
"I was surprised when he gave me the shoes. It just made me so happy. Nobody has ever done that for me in my life," said Brown.
"Thank you so much, you made my heart very happy," he added.
Their teacher, Melinda Dorman, said Perez gave away the shoes when no one was looking. It was an act of kindness.
"It's the holiday season and everyone has cheer in their heart, but this is something that needs to continue throughout the year," said Dorman.
"This is a wonderful lesson in the act of kindness," she added.
Brown's mother, Danielle Purvis, said she is overwhelmed by the gesture.
"To randomly just see another student in need and provide that need and went ahead and did it without being recorded and without letting everyone know. He did it humbly," said Purvis.
Purvis said she was waiting for payday before buying her son new shoes. She is grateful another student helped.
"It was overwhelming to know that there are other kids out there, other teenagers, that are looking out for my son and making sure he's taken care of when I'm not around," said Purvis.
Perez said he plans on giving Brown two more pairs of shoes.
"In elementary school and in the beginning of middle school, I use to have shoes that were broke and they had holes in them. I always got made fun of... I didn't want him to get made fun," said Perez.
