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11-06-2024 12:50 am • PDX and SEA Weather
MLK Breakfast
He’s got the job!
In early February, mom Mia Thompson took to TikTok to share a video of her one-year-old son Azai. While already adorable, that wasn’t the focus of Mia’s video. What she wanted to highlight was his hilarious desire to speak to every stranger he met.
“Azai, don’t come in here saying hey to everybody, okay?” Mia told him as they walked into the stores.
Although it seemed he would initially comply, once he got into the store, baby Azai just seemed to be unable to help himself.
“How you doing?,” he would ask as strangers walked past.
“Hiiiii,” Azai yelled out if someone didn’t hear him the first time.
Mia uploaded several of these videos, most of them taking place in Target. In addition to his greetings, he would also give out hugs, and his warmth invited other babies to speak to him, too.
The videos racked up thousands of views and reshares, catching the attention of major media outlets like Good Morning America. After a few months of Azai spreading love the Brooklyn way all over Target, the company took notice and invited the one-year-old to become an official employee for the day.
His hometown Target, in Huntersville, North Carolina, made him an honorary employee for the day, giving Azai the title of Store Happiness Director. Employees took Azai around as he passed out gifts to customers, ran to check on merchandise, greeted customers over the store intercom, and hugged any guest he could find. After a laborious but happiness-filled day, Target surprised Azai by donating $10,000 to Classroom Central in his honor. The local Charlotte, North Carolina, non-profit supports students in need by collecting and donating free school supplies to teachers in 200 schools across the districts.
The moment was truly heartwarming, and Thompson couldn’t be more proud of her little superstar.
“Congrats to my baby [Azai] on his partnership with @target. Got his first job at only 1 year old. So proud of my baby and super grateful [and] blessed for the opportunity,” she wrote.
We cannot wait to see more of this sweet baby boy!
