Boy surprised with free Disney trip after donating savings to feed Hurricane Dorian evacuees

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A young boy who opted out of a birthday trip to Disney World to instead help evacuees of Hurricane Dorian was surprised Sunday with a free vacation to “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”

Jermaine Bell of Jacksonville, Florida, spent more than a year saving money for a birthday trip to Walt Disney World. But as Hurricane Dorian began approaching the South Carolina coast, the boy emptied his piggy bank and bought hundreds of hot dogs, bags of chips and bottled water.

He served them free of charge to evacuees who passed through Allentown, South Carolina, where he was visiting his grandmother.

“The people that are traveling to go to other places, I wanted them to have some food to eat so they can enjoy the ride to the place that they're going to stay at,” Jermaine said last week.

On Sunday, Jermaine celebrated his seventh birthday and was surprised by Mickey Mouse and a group of Walt Disney World cast members who showed up to share that the boy was going to Disney World after all.

The family will enjoy a VIP getaway at the resort later this month, the company said.

This story was reported from Cincinnati.