In a world that can sometimes feel a little too fast and far too serious, one man is proving that all you need to make a difference is a motorized chair, a bubble machine, and a whole lot of heart. Yes, it’s time to introduce you to a local legend known as Wes the “Bubble Man”, who has become a local fixture on the corner of Third Avenue and Elm in San Diego, California. Armed with a steady stream of bubbles, the local hero helps to bring awareness to drivers to slow down near a stop where a serious accident occurred in the past, involving a small child who was hospitalised for several months.
In a post to the r/SanDiego sub-Reddit earlier today, a California local shared an image of the unsung hero, aka “the San Diego Bubble Man.” Perched on a red and black motorized chair, and sporting a blue jumper, blue jeans, white sneakers, and a big heartwarming grin, the San Diego resident proudly sat by the side of the road, with his bubble machine in tow. While many readers may be wondering why the gentleman devotes his time to blowing bubbles on Third and Elm, the post explains:
This is Wes. This man brings joy to others every day by sitting on the corner of Second avenue and Elm with a bubble machine. You can’t help but slow down, smile and wave. What a delightful guy who brings joy to people with such a simple and silly gesture. Wes says he does this to bring awareness to drivers to slow down at that stop as there was a bad accident there in the past and a small child was hit and hospitalized for months. There is a school and a senior citizen’s home near that stop. I pass Wes frequently and felt the need to share an uplifting and positive story for once!!!
via Reddit user Some-Ad2434
As you can see, come rain or shine, Wes parks himself on the corner with his trusty bubble machine humming beside him. As clouds of shimmering bubbles float through the air, drivers can’t help but do a double take. Most slow down, smile, wave — and some even honk their horns in support.
People Reacting to the San Diego Bubble Man
As the post continues to gain comments and upvotes, locals weighed in with their positive thoughts on the San Diego legend. First things first, it’s important to note that the OP wanted to clarify that the Bubble Man actually sits on Third Avenue and Elm, and not Second Avenue and Elm like the original post states. As a result, the first comment reads, “Edit, he is actually on Third and Elm. Not Second😄”
Elsewhere, warm comments came flooding in celebrating one of San Diego’s unsung heroes. One Redditor penned, “Makes my walk to work every time he’s out there! Love passing through bubbles on my way downtown 😊” while another added, “We had so many people like Wes in this city during my childhood here in the 80’s & early 90’s. We need more Wes’ in our fine city.” A third commenter chimed in with, “I saw him yesterday on the way to my doctors office. Turns out I have COVID, it sucks. But seeing bubbles cheered me up :)” with another declaring, “Thats so awesome. The world needs more of this right now.”
So, here’s to Wes, folks. He’s proof that one person, a chair, and a bubble machine really can make the world a little bit better — one smile at a time.
