Etobicoke high school students surprise teacher with pair of Jordan sneakers

With Christmas less than a week awaya group of high school students in the city's west end are going viralfor getting into the spirit of giving.

Twenty-five Grade 10 students from a gym class at EtobicokeSchool of the Arts surprised their favourite teacher David Blakeywitha pair of his favourite shoes on Wednesday.

The result was a heart-warming momentfor a teacher that 15-year-old studentAidanThomson says deserves it.

"He's like a best friend to all of us. He playsbasketballwith us at lunchtime, helps us with our essays and other schoolwork, he even gives us space to work in the gym and honestly he's just a really nice guy," says Thomson.

The second year student tells CBC the idea to buy his gym teacher a pair of shoes came after being inspired bysimilar videos he saw on YouTube.

"I wanted to give back to Mr. Blakeybecause he does so much for us,I just didn't know how. But after seeingvideos online of so many other kids doing random acts of kindness for classmates and janitors in the [United] States, I figured wecoulddo the same for Mr. Blakey," Thomson said.

Planning a sentimental surprise

After coming up with the idea to collect cash from classmates and source the sneakers online, the students decided to buy a pair of black and red Air Jordan 13 sneakers for their teacher because of the sentimental value.

Blakeysays those shoeswere the first and only pair of Jordan sneakers that he bought in 1997 but addsthat they served him well with the students he's taught.

"Twenty years ago I bought my only pair of Jordan's and I started my teaching career with those Jordan shoes. Itgave me a little bit of celebrity status as anew teacher with the J's on. It made me legit," he said.

BlakeytoldCBC Toronto that younger students would always ask to wear his Jordansto play basketball so he would let them.

He saidthatlasted about five years until oneday one of his students was running down the court and the soles fell off.

"We taped them up, laughed about it and that was the end of me andJordans," Blakeysaid.

Yearslater students like Thomson wereaskinghim where those Bred Jordan 13s were instead of whether they could wear them, but Blakeysaidhe simply can't afford Jordans for himself anymore because he buys them for histwo children.

But getting surprised by his students, who Blakey saidare like his kids, means the world to him.

"It's honestly one of the highlights of my career," he said.

Thomson and his classmates saidthey wanted to put their teacher ahead of themselves, especially during the holidays.

"He just really makes this school in particular really, really fun. Mr. Blakeymakes me want to come class and to be able to pay it forward for someone who gives so much to us means a lot," Thomson said.