Garbage truck 'Secret Santa' drops off gift for child who waves to him every trash day

The present had been dropped off by the garbage man, Murray said, noting that the video shows the man dropping off the wrapped present on a chair on the front porch of their home. The present had been dropped off by the garbage man, Murray said, noting that the video shows the man dropping off the wrapped present on a chair on the front porch of their home. Photo: Saul Luera Photo: Saul Luera Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Garbage truck 'Secret Santa' drops off gift for child who waves to him every trash day 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

Update:

This story has been updated to show that Chron.com on Thursday, Dec. 26 learned the name of Aiden's Secret Santa.

Original story:

Aiden loves big trucks.

Monster trucks, garbage trucks, tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, you name it, Aiden loves it. He can tell you the difference between each kind of truck and identify the parts that pertain to its specific job.

Aiden is also 2 years old and every Tuesday and Friday, around 7 a.m., you’ll find him screaming at the top of his lungs in anticipation of the garbage truck that comes rolling down his street in the Quail Valley North, Missouri City neighborhood.

Aiden wakes up and goes outside just to say hello. He’s most excited to see the garbage man, whom he frantically waves to every time he sees him, said Aiden’s mom, Rachel Murray.

“He always honks, and Aiden gets so excited,” Murray said. “He knows the sound.”

READ ALSO: Humble-area family gives back to waiter whose bike was stolen with help from local Academy store

On Christmas Eve, which fell on a Tuesday this year, the garbage truck stopped in front of Aiden’s home. But Aiden wasn’t dressed yet, so he could only point it out, his mom said. It was one of the few times the family missed waving to the truck and the garbage man inside.

Later, when Murray noticed something on the porch, she wondered whether Amazon had delivered a package. When she went outside, she found a gift bag with tissue paper inside. At first, she thought maybe one of the neighbors dropped it off.

Then when she told Aiden’s father, Saul Luera, about the gift, he was confused. He then went to check the home's Ring camera app.

“He had to watch it twice,” Murray said.

The present had been dropped off by the garbage man, Murray said, noting that the video shows the man dropping off the wrapped present on a chair on the front porch of their home.

“I don’t even know the man’s name, but I think it’s really sweet that he thought of (Aiden) for Christmas,” she said. “We’re just so appreciative. People are so caught up with their own stuff during the holidays, it just means the world.”

Luera, who’s a police officer, shared the Christmas experience with his Facebook friends in a post on Tuesday.

“And today out of nowhere, this kind man left (Aiden) a present,” Luera said. “All is not lost in this world and in my profession, I don’t see a lot of acts of kindness like this. But I want to wish this man and his family a Merry Christmas. Thank you for this gift you left my little one. May god bless you.”

It’s not the first time the 2-year-old shared a tender moment with the garbage man.

On Halloween, Aiden showed everyone just how much he loves trucks and his neighborhood garbage man, by dressing up just like him, Murray said.

“They were dressed the exact same that day,” she said, laughing.

Murray said she and Aiden are planning to make Christmas cookies for the man.

“We plan to give them to him when we see him on Friday,” she said.

Chron.com learned the name of Aiden's Secret Santa is Jose Pleites, an employee of WCA Waste Corporation, who has worked with the company for about eight years, a spokeswoman said.

"Jose takes pride (in) showing up to work with a positive attitude and taking care of customers," said Estefany Tristan, a company spokeswoman. "His supervisor speaks very highly of him."

Pleites is currently on a much-needed vacation and will return to work-- and to see Aiden-- next Friday, she added.

Michelle Iracheta is a digital reporter in Houston. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | michelle.iracheta@chron.com