'Spreading joy': 6-year-old Dunkin' fan becomes honorary crew member for a day in Bedford

BEDFORD, Va. (WSET) — The Dunkin' Donuts in Bedford honored a very special 6-year-old on Thursday.

The celebration was big, and the surprise was real.

This is Dunkin's newest honorary crew member, River Crouch.

His love for Dunkin' goes beyond normal fandom.

For Halloween this year, he decked out his wheelchair in custom decorations to play the part of his favorite breakfast worker.

River's mother, Paige Crouch, said it all began when the store first opened its doors earlier this year.

"We started bringing him every Sunday to get a donut and immediately donuts became his favorite thing," Crouch explained. "And so that's what he wanted to be for Halloween. So he was a Dunkin' Donuts worker."

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Crouch took to social media to post pictures of River's love for Dunkin'.

That's where things took off.

"He has such a following," Mattison Drinkwater, River's kindergarten teacher, said with a smile. "Social media is insane when it comes to these things. I'm just so proud of him and everything he's accomplished so far."

River has accomplished a lot in his life already.

He was born prematurely at 26 weeks and weighed just one pound.

Less than a year later, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy before his first birthday.

"He's worked really hard to get where he is today," Crouch said. "He's overcome a lot, multiple surgeries. He does physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. He puts in a lot of work. And I'm just so proud of him and all the work that he does."

Crouch said that despite those challenges, River has remained an optimistic and happy little boy.

Now a kindergartner in Bedford, River loves school, spending time with friends, and is an avid sports fan.

He enjoys watching games, going to the movies, and playing adaptive sports like baseball and soccer through Bedford County Parks & Recreation.

The popular social media post, amazing costume, and story of overcoming challenges caught the eye of the Dunkin' brand.

"Dunkins all about spreading joy and positivity in our local communities," said Emilly Bartels, the field marketing manager for Dunkin'. "And so when we came across this story, it was the perfect opportunity to highlight some really great positivity here in Bedford Virginia."

They loved his story so much that they made his dream a reality and gave him a chance to get behind the counter as a worker at Dunkin'.

He was surprised with a Dunkin' uniform and a special plaque commemorating his work.

From getting donuts for customers to trying his hand at making drinks to working the register, River got to experience it all.

His parents and even his teacher got to experience it with him and see him spread his joy to others.

"He loves to laugh," Drinkwater said. "He loves to make jokes. Don't you?" she asked River, which prompted a laugh from both of them. "And we just, we have the best days."

For his work, Dunkin was awarded a $500 gift card and merch bag, in addition to special donuts with his face on them.

"To know that he got to have this special day, it means a lot to us, and to him," Crouch said. "I mean I didn't have to do anything today. He took over, he smiled, he loved it. This is his thing right now."

That honorary plaque that River was presented with will stay in this Dunkin’ forever.

It's to serve as a reminder of his time as an honorary crew member and a lover of Dunkin’.