This student was late to school every day. So Walmart gave him a new bike

Manatee Charter School student Jamarion Gambles was consistent. He always showed up to school, but he always showed up late.

The seventh grader lives 1.3 miles from the school, meaning he doesn’t qualify for bus transportation, and a busted bike meant he was huffing and puffing his way to school each day. He would usually arrive at school about 30 minutes late.

So on Wednesday, Billy Williams III, a former Marine drill instructor who works at the school in a support role, presented Jamarion with the one back-to-school supply he didn’t have but desperately needed: A brand new bike.

“If you miss 30 minutes of first period going throughout the school year, this kid is literally going to miss probably about the equivalent of four weeks of instructional time in the classroom,” Williams said.

Williams is a graduation enhancement technician — a role tasked with figuring out ways to get kids like Jamarion to school on time. When he saw Jamarion showing up late and drenched in sweat every day, Williams investigated. He learned the boy’s bike was broken beyond repair.

Doug Jenkins, the assistant manager at the Walmart on 53rd Avenue East in Bradenton, donated a new bike, lock and helmet. At lunch on Wednesday Williams put the bike on the table in the cafeteria and asked the students who wanted a new bike. Williams called on Jamarion and asked him why he wanted the bike.

“So I can get to school on time,” Jamarion replied.

When Williams presented the bike to Jamarion, his classmates cheered, said George Schrenk, who occasionally works at the school in the morning as a safety officer.

“The sound was deafening,” he said.

Williams said on Thursday morning Jamarion arrived to school on his new bike 45 minutes early.

“When I saw him on the school grounds at 7:45, that was enough for me,” Williams said.

This story was originally published August 17, 2017 at 3:38 PM with the headline "This student was late to school every day. So Walmart gave him a new bike."