GRAND CHUTE, Wis. (WFRV) — Everything seemed normal this past Tuesday morning for Grand Chute Utilities Specialist Tyler Malszycki.
“[I was] doing some routine sanitary sewer cleaning,” he told Local 5.
Then Malszycki saw something not so routine: “I noticed probably an eight or nine year old boy struggling over at the stoplight at Wisconsin Avenue and Perkins.”
Malszycki says he and his coworkers usually keep an eye out for kids on their way to school, especially at busy intersections.
“I think it was a little after 7:30, roughly, so lots of traffic,” he said.
Worried for the boy’s safety, Malszycki took action.
“I ran over to him and realized his pant leg was stuck in his bike chain and wrapped around the pedal,” he explained. “So I got it undone and helped him across the busy intersection and sent him on his way.”
What Malszycki didn’t know was that someone had watched the whole thing happen and decided to share it online.
Facebook used Aaron Steven took a picture of Malszycki helping out the little boy, and posted it along with a message to his page.
Local 5 spoke with Steven, who explained that he felt the employee deserved recognition, and that he wanted to share something positive in his community.
The message made it to Grand Chute Town Hall.
“[I] Actually got a call from one of my friends, saying ‘hey, what’s going on in grand chute?’ Found the picture and we shared it right away,” Trevor Prusinski of the town’s Parks & Recreation Department said.
As the image of the good deed spread on social media, Malszycki said he wasn’t expecting any of the recognition.
“We don’t expect that here, it’s kind of normal for us to help who needs help,” he explained.
Prusinski added, “We’re not out working, looking for somebody to recognize the work that we’re doing. It’s part of our job to serve the people of our community.”
A community that they’re a part of.
“I have two younger boys, so I know how it feels to be a parent and your kids are going to school, you want to make sure they get there, safely,” Malskycki said.
