4-year-old boy takes first steps, thanks to stranger's kindness

PLEASANTVILLE. N.J. (KTVU) - A four-year-old boy, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, recently took the first steps of many, thanks to a stranger, whose donation has changed the child's life.

Luis Tamarez's mother calls her son a precious angel and gift from God.

Esmarlin Núñez Ramos says her child was born prematurely and came into the world weighing only three pounds. At age one, Luis was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Ramos says her son has always been a "jolly little fellow" and except for not being able or walk and run, his condition has never stopped him from doing things a typical child would do.

But now everything has changed, after a complete stranger got word of a donation drive that was being organized to help purchase a mobility device for Luis.

Luis attends North Main Street Elementary School in Pleasantville, New Jersey, where he is in pre-kindergarten.

Teachers at the school had been looking into starting a fundraiser to purchase a device known as Upsee for the child.

The device is a harness that helps children with motor impairments by allowing them to be attached to another person, who can then assist in standing upright and walking.

And before the donation drive could even take off, word got around and a stranger stepped in.

Yorel Browne is a substitute teacher at North Main Street. He is also an Uber driver.

One day, as he was driving passenger Jim Burke, he told the local businessman about the donation efforts. Organizers would have to raise $500 for the Upsee. 

That's when Burke basically told Browne to forget about the fundraiser and volunteered to buy the device himself.

Burke made good on that promise.

Earlier this month, he was invited to the school so he could be on-hand as Luis used his Upsee for the first time.

Ramos extended heartfelt words of appreciation to Burke. In a Facebook post the mother wrote, "...thanks to this person my son could have the opportunity to experience and know how it feels [to] Walk."

She celebrated the moment, and expressed how joyful she was to be able to see her "little angel" run, jump and play like a typical child.