Henry Darby has been giving back to others since he was a child. So when he learned that students at his North Charleston High School were in need, he picked up an overnight job at Walmart to help.
Darby, a principal at the South Carolina school, works at the retail chain from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. stocking shelves, though not every day. Every paycheck goes toward helping his students, whom he affectionally refers to as his grandchildren.
Darby said that he has had students who slept under a bridge or in a car after falling on hard times. The high school principal got emotional as he described going to the home of one teenager and seeing a mattress on the floor.
About 90 percent of the student body at North Charleston is living below the poverty line. The community was hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
To help ease that financial burden, Darby began working at Walmart.
He said that he hoped to keep the job under the radar, and was surprised when his story started making the news.
Darby said his only request of his students is that they pay it forward and help others. He said he learned about the importance of giving back as a child from his mother.
To honor the principal, Walmart surprised him on the “TODAY” show with a $50,000 check for his school.
Darby said the donation will “go a very, very long way for our students.”