Walmart truck drivers, law enforcement, family and friends gathered at Brownstown Central High School early Saturday morning before heading off on a convoy to Walmart Supercenter in Seymour to honor Jackson Legg of Medora as an honorary driver for the Walmart Heart event.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Jackson Legg of Medora sits in the passenger seat ready to make his way to Walmart Supercenter in Seymour as an honorary driver for a Walmart Heart Event.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
One of the founders of Walmart Heart, Greg Carter, left, leads the group in a chant to honor Jackson Legg of Medora on Saturday.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Jackson Legg of Medora receives various gifts during the Walmart Heart Event, one including a hand-knitted tractor.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Wrestler Mortimer Blankenship Mutton Chop Millionaire gifts Jackson Legg of Medora a golf club that the professional wrestler used during a match during at the Walmart Heart Event on Saturday in honor of Legg at Walmart Supercenter in Seymour.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Jackson Legg of Medora is gifted a Nintendo Switch from the Walmart staff during the Walmart Heart Event.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Walmart Supercenter staff and community members clap and cheer on Jackson Legg of Medora on Saturday during Walmart Heart Event in his honor.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson greets Jackson Legg of Medora outside of Walmart in Seymour to honor him during a Walmart Heart Event.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Walmart truck drivers clap for Jackson Legg of Medora before entering the Walmart Supercenter in Seymour on Satureday during the Walmart Heart Event.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
A photo of Jackson Legg is hung on the semitrailer that was leading the convoy to Walmart Supercenter in Seymour during the Walmart Heart Event.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
The side of a semitrailer shows past Walmart Heart Event honorary drivers from all over the nation.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
The semitrailer makes it to its destination on Saturday at Walmart Supercenter with Jackson Legg of Medora and his family, Chris and Stephani Spall.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Jackson Legg’s mother Stephani Spall, signs his poster before heading off on the convoy.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Chris Spall signed the poster for his son, Jackson Legg of Medora, during the Walmart Heart Event.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Jackson Legg of Medora stands next to his picture and the semitrailer that took him on Saturday to the Walmart Supercenter in Seymour as an honorary driver.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Jackson Legg of Medora receives a painted rocking chair with his name on it during the Walmart Heart Event.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Santa Claus also made an appearance to congratulate Jackson Legg of Medora as an honorary driver during the Walmart Heart Event.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
Jack Scott was the first boy that was helped through a Walmart Heart Event in 2006. His photo is displayed on the semitrailer along with other recipients of Walmart Heart Events from across the county over the years.
Erika Malone | The Tribune
The city of Seymour was left in awe Saturday morning as a convoy of Walmart semitrailers rolled through town before arriving at Walmart Supercenter to honor Jackson Legg of Medora.
From the passenger seat, Legg, who’s diagnosed with a paralyzed diaphragm and autism, received a day of honor, cheers, laughter and love as the beneficiary of the Walmart Heart Program.
In 2006, four Walmart truck drivers came together in Seymour to brainstorm ways they could make a positive impact on the communities they serve, according to a story posted online at truckernews.com.
They originally were there for a different meeting, but then heard the story of Jack Scott, a sick boy whose mother had called her local Walmart with a dilemma: Her son needed to stay up all night for a surgery. The manager agreed to keep the store open all night, and a Walmart trucker who had made a delivery to the store that night stayed with Scott and kept him company.
The four truckers, Rickey Oliver, Phillip Hargrove, Danny Ewell and Greg Carter wanted to help sick and special needs children, too.
They came up with the Walmart Heart Program, making children participating in the program an honorary Walmart truck driver, providing them Walmart shirts as a uniform and taking them on a truck ride.
The four divided up the country and started visiting distribution centers to recruit drivers to participate. When it started, there were about 300 drivers in the program. Drivers can come and go in the program as they wish, participating at their leisure, so it’s unknown how many drivers total have participated since the inception of the program. It’s estimated to be well into the thousands now.
More than a dozen Walmart semitrailers gathered for Saturday’s event at Brownstown Central High School before leaving for Seymour. Some of the drivers traveled multiple hours to honor Legg.
Bert Mills, a Walmart truck driver from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, has participated in the Walmart Heart Program for three years and this was his second time in Seymour supporting a kid through the program.
“It’s all about the kids,” he said. “Seeing the reaction on their face and Jack’s laughter is contagious. There is no better payment than a smile.”
Walmart Heart is funded solely through donations with every cent going toward funding a heart event for a child and staffed with volunteers.
“It’s a day not only for the kid, but for the parents as well,” he said. “It allows them to have no worries for the day.”
Legg had the opportunity to ride with his father, Chris Spall, who’s been a Walmart truck driver for four years.
“It’s an honor for us,” he said. “Our big Walmart family has always been supportive and love Jack.”
This was also the first year a beneficiary attended breakfast with the truck drivers, a new tradition the group plans to start.
“There is a lot of work behind the scenes coordinating everything,” said truck driver Jason Poe. “This is our way of giving to the community.”
Once arriving at Walmart Supercenter, Legg’s smile could not be contained as community members, friends and family applauded and cheered while making his way through the store.
Much to his surprise, a few special guests and various gifts were awaiting him.
Wrestlers Five-Count Frank, Mortimer Blankenship Muttonchop Millionaire and The Unbreakable Chet Ripley along with Santa Claus honored Legg on his special day with various gifts.
Besides being a wrestling fan, Legg enjoys John Deere tractors. He received a rocking chair with his name on it in classic green and yellow colors, a handmade tractor plushie and to his surprise — a John Deere tractor.
“I love this,” Legg said. “It’s a blessing.”
With every gift he opened Legg’s smile and laughter spread across the room filling people’s hearts.
“What is not to love about this event,” Walmart store manager Shelby Lewis said. “This is the second year we have done this at our store and it’s awesome. We get to meet new people and it’s good for our associates. I could listen to Jack laugh all day. It fills you with hope and that is what Walmart is all about.”
The event ended with the crowd chanting the Walmart Cheer and celebrating Legg on a day he surely won’t forget.