Jersey Man Spreads Positivity One High-Five at a Time [Video]

Quick Smiles:

• Eddie Pabon, a former convict, has turned his life around and now stands at a corner in West New York most school mornings to give high-fives to students, helping to kick-start their day with positivity.
• His uplifting actions have not only improved the mood of the kids but also of the teachers, who’ve noticed that the students maintain their high energy levels throughout the day.
• Eddie, who spent a third of his life behind bars for drug dealing and personal addiction, views this endeavor as a way to make amends and give back to the world. He hopes to spread this initiative further, akin to viral social media challenges.

---

Picture this, a cheery school morning in West New York, where a street corner tradition warms hearts and sends kids off to school with an extra spring in their steps.

Meet Eddie Pabon, the contagiously energetic man who’s spreading positivity one high-five at a time.

Stationed at the corner of 56th Street and Hudson Avenue, Eddie’s mission is simple: Greet every student on their way to school with an uplifting “high-five for a beautiful school day.”

Whether on street corners or hopping onto school buses, Eddie is the embodiment of an inspirational morning pep-talk.

“I strongly believe when you do this…you put your positive energy into them, you give them that boost,” says Eddie.

His infectious mantra?

“Take this energy with you into the school, make it through your school day. Bada bing, bada boom.”

Eddie began this energizing tradition over a year ago, and he’s been sharing his uplifting escapades via live streams on Facebook. His friend Rolando Fevles has been by his side throughout this journey.

“In the grand scheme of things, it’s something small. But I see how it transforms their day. Even for just that moment, they’re smiling,” Fevles says.

The impact is clear – children leave Eddie’s corner with broad smiles and a brighter mood. Teachers have remarked on the energy boost, noting their students carry the positivity with them throughout the day.

But Eddie’s past wasn’t all high-fives and smiles. At 52, he’d spent a third of his life behind bars. Car theft, drug dealing, and personal addiction marked a turbulent chapter.

“Fentanyl. Heroin. I had no willpower. I had hopes out the window. I thought I was going to die an active addict,” Eddie confesses.

His life took a dramatic turn following a conversation with another addict who tragically lost his life soon after. This heartbreaking encounter sparked a profound change in Eddie, igniting a newfound willpower.

“Now, instead of being addicted to garbage, I find an addiction in looking at them smiling. That’s a beautiful high.”

Eddie is now on a mission to give back to the world, a journey of atonement and rejuvenation.

He cherishes the opportunity to positively influence young lives as a sort of “compensation for the damage I did to my life and my surroundings.”

In just one morning, Eddie high-fived about 200 kids. His ambition? Expand this project elsewhere.

Eddie firmly believes that if social media challenges like the “Ice Bucket Challenge” can go viral, surely boosting kids’ self-esteem each morning should be a no-brainer.

To that, we say, “Bada bing, bada boom!” Eddie!

---

Source