BEL AIR, Md. — Like the classic duos of Batman and Robin, Starsky and Hutch, Bert and Ernie, there is Dylan and Gram.
"We go on adventures," said Kate McAvoy.
"She’s my side mate. She helps me do a whole bunch of stuff," said her grandson, 10-year-old Dylan Messano.
Messano and McAvoy do a lot of things together, including acts of kindness.
"I like to give back by handing money to people, or helping people by giving them food," said Messano.
"Sometimes we make PBJ sandwiches. Sometimes we go to the food kitchens and feed people at the tables," said McAvoy.
McAvoy wasn't surprised when her grandson wanted to collect winter clothes for the children fleeing Ukraine after Russia began its invasion.
"I wanted to give them to Ukraine because I felt like I had lots of stuff and I wanted to give back to other people," said Messano.
The pair went to Kid to Kid in Bel Air, with the intentions of buying a few items to donate.
"I was looking to get some clothes and I didn’t realize we were going to get the entire two racks of clothes," said Messano.
"At the bottom were buckets of boots and mittens and hats and coats and winter sleepers, it gives me goosebumps," said McAvoy. "Dylan says, 'Gram, look what they’re gonna give us!'"
"We had a lot of winter clothes. There was just a tremendous amount," said Tanya Lee, owner of Kid to Kid in Bel Air. She said once she learned about Messano's plan to donate the clothes to kids in Ukraine, she and her staff helped him and his grandmother fill 19 big bags of winter gear, free of charge.
"Its truly inspiring. This kid had such a great idea and hopefully other people will pay it forward," she said.
There's the saying heroes don't always wear capes. Sometimes they dress like a 10-year-old kid, armed with a devoted sidekick and a passion to help others.
"I love giving back it’s very fun. It’s fun to help people in need," Messano said.
"He’s always thinking of how he can help somebody," said McAvoy. "I want to get lazy sometimes and he says, 'C’mon Gram, lets go!' And off we go on some kind of adventure."
