Teen Gifted New Bike After Walking 6 Miles To Graduation; Family Receives Minivan

Whoever said humanity is dead apparently hasn’t traveled the world enough. On May 31st, a teenager from North City in St. Louis managed to secure a full ride (and a new bike) for his future after walking more than two hours to make it to his 8th graduation. He had to walk from one end of the city to the other, and his journey was duly credited. Xavier Jones, the 14-year-old teenager in question, mentioned, “If you want something done, you gotta go ahead and do it yourself.”

The teenager had walked almost 6 miles from Florissant Avenue to Harris Stowe State University because he was dead set on walking across the stage and receiving his diploma. He said, “I was going to tell an adult but my grandpa’s car was down. So I was just going to walk there.”

Teenager Who Walked 6 Miles Gifted A New Bike, and A Full Scholarship To Harris Stowe University

Xavier hatched a plan to reach his school without a ride, and never informed his grandfather or the school staff at the Yeatman Middle School. Speaking to News 4, he stated, “I looked up Harris Stowe University on Google Maps and then I saw the walking distance and then I said I could probably make it.” Interestingly, he decided that walking with someone would probably motivate him further, so he asked his brother and a friend to make the entire journey with him, simply because he had one dream- “I wanted to walk across the stage.”

The dedication shown by the teenager without any mode of transportation moved the University so much that they decided to step up and give him a lift in his quest to further his education. In an interview with News 4, the President of the University spoke about how this was a glaring reminder of the obstacles students faced in their region.

Dr. Latonia Collins Smith, the President of Harris Stowe University mentioned, “Many of our students come with a story and many of our students come with environmental barriers they have overcome or that they are currently overcoming.” The University then decided to give Xavier a full ride to the University with a scholarship. The scholarship, of course, will account for every payment needed. President Smith mentioned, “I just led with my heart and I followed my heart and my heart said this is a kid that needs a scholarship.” 

Xavier’s Family Also Got A Very Helpful Gift

Interestingly, that wasn’t the only gift Xavier received for walking 6 miles. He received a new bike- a $5,000 Ryan Pritchard Electric Bike- during a celebrity basketball game on Friday. On the other hand, his grandparents were also in shock as they received a minivan worth $40,000, thanks to the generosity shown by Bommarito Automotive. Xavier’s grandfather mentioned, “This means a whole lot. I don’t know what to say. I’m so thankful.” With Xavier’s mother passing away a few years ago, and Xavier suffering from Sickle Cell Anemia, it has fallen upon the grandfather to take care of Xavier and his siblings. 

After Xavier’s story went viral on News 4, Terron Armstead, a native of Cahokia and a current member of the Miami Dolphins, arranged for the surprises to take place during a basketball tournament that had taken place at his alma mater. The NFL star mentioned, “We hear a story like Xavier. It’s only right. Follow Xavier’s example. He’s a leader whether he wanted to be or not. His story is inspiring. It’s motivating. That’s what leaders do.” Apart from the new bike, Xavier is also excited about the full scholarship. He mentioned, “It means that I’m going to do something great and that I finally made it out of the 8th grade. There’s a lot of fun stuff you can do at this campus.”