Teen surprises school custodian with coveted Air Jordans

FREDERICKSBURG, Va (KTVU) - His high school principal calls him a special, genuine and caring kid who wants to prove that anyone can be a mentor and role model by treating others with kindness. 

Tristan McAlister's act of kindness has now gone viral with many applauding him for going out of his way to show his appreciation to his school custodian.

On Sept. 6, the Virginia teen at Stafford Senior High School posted video of him on Twitter, surprising custodian Angel Echevarria with a pair of prized Air Jordan shoes, bringing on smiles, laughter and hugs from the janitor.

The post has since been widely shared, with more than 1k retweets and thousands more likes.

McAlister said he's known Echevarria for two years.

The pair first met when McAlister was shooting basket in the school gym a couple years ago, as he waited for his dad to pick him up, principal Joe Lewis told KTVU.

Echevarria was in the gym too. He was cleaning.

The two started talking and hit it off, developing a warm friendship that included many conversations about sports and their mutual appreciation for shoes.

One day when the teen and custodian were engaged in one of the many conversations about their favorite topic, shoes, the high school senior asked his friend to recommend what kind he should purchase next. 

"He picked out Jordan 8s and I asked if he had a pair and he said 'no I have 4 kids, I can't shop for myself,'” McAlister explained in his tweet. 

And that's when the idea popped into McAlister's head. The teen owned a pair of Jordan 8s himself and knew he and Echevarria shared the same shoe size. So he decided he would surprise his friend with a gift he would appreciate.

Video of the surprise shows the custodian smiling and laughing as McAlister walks up to him, handing him a box with a pair of Jordan 8s inside. 

McAlister has said that he wasn't going to document the moment, but his mother talked him into it saying that she wanted to witness Echevarria's reaction.

Lewis also noted that the teen changed his mind about videotaping after he realized it was a chance to inspire others.

"The reason why he did it is that he wanted to reach out to others and be a role model and be a mentor as well," Lewis said. "He wanted people to see you don't just learn from teachers. He wanted people to know you learn from all those around you... cafeteria workers, custodians, you can also learn from us kids," the principal added.

It appears others have been inspired, with many reacting to the teen's actions by calling him "thoughtful" and "a good kid." One twitter user responded to the video saying, "That’s what makes this world go round!!!!" 

As for Echevarria, it's clear that he is moved by the kindness of his young friend.   

"Seriously though? I can't believe you... You're too much," the custodian is heard in the video. "You know I'm going to have to get you back for that, right?" Echevarria continues laughing, and he gives the teen a big hug. 

Principal Lewis described the custodian as a good guy and gentle soul who works hard. 

"You ask him one time and he's already on it," Lewis explained. "When he gets done talking with a kid like Tristan, he always says, 'See you later. God bless."

McAlister described his friend as an uplifting and positive man, saying "you won’t find a person who appreciates and smiles more than this guy."