BEVERLY, MASS. (WHDH) - A Beverly man living with Autism got a sweet surprise from his local grocery store.

Last month, 19-year-old Logan Pearson’s friend and bus driver Nancy gave him a sandbox for his birthday. But, it was no ordinary sandbox — it was filled with crushed up Cheerios.

“Because it was Cheerios we didn’t have to worry if he put it in his mouth or ate it or anything,” Logan’s dad James Pearson said.

The breakfast cereal is one of Logan’s favorite snacks.

“After his bus driver gave him that gift and that story aired on the news, our local Shaws here in Beverly caught wind of it and they wanted to see what they could do to help,” Pearson said.

His parents say Shaws donated 10 cases of Cheerios — or 120 boxes. And on Thursday, the teen’s community got together to turn all those Cheerios into edible sand.

“Logan’s bus driver even came by and she was helping too. Everybody had blenders and food processors out,” said his dad.

The gift has been a huge hit with Logan and his parents too.

“He was the happiest kid on the block by far,” Logan’s mom Catherine Pearson said. “It was pretty amazing, to be honest, to see how many people wanted to be part of this and help out to make some fake sand for a 19-year-old kid with special needs.”

His parents said they are grateful to their community for showing their family so much kindness.

“It fills your love tank, you know? I just thought holy cow I can’t believe we’re on the receiving end of something like this,” his mom said. “We all just rallied around logan to give him the ultimate sandbox.”

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