In a time when the daily news cycle brings such horrific stories – not just daily, but hourly- it’s uplifting and encouraging to run across a story about human kindness. This story also illustrates the power of the Internet to connect and empower people in an immediate way that changes lives.
James Robertson, 56, a guy from Detroit – the city that’s famous for its cars- can’t afford a car on the $10.55 an hour he earns at Schain Mold & Engineering. So he walks 21 miles to his factory job every morning and then walks 21 miles home after work. He leaves at eight a.m. and doesn’t get home till four a.m. He relies on public transportation, rides from good Samaritans, and his feet. He has been doing this for a decade, since his 1988 Honda quit on him, and has a perfect attendance at work.
After the Detroit Free Press did a story on Robertson, it hit the Internet in a major way and within 24 hours, Robertson’s life was transformed. From the Huffington Post:
“Evan Leedy, a student at Detroit’s Wayne State University, set up a GoFundMe account to help raise money to buy Robertson a car. It began with a simple goal of $5,000 and skyrocketed to over $200,000 from thousands of people after Robertson’s story was picked up my media outlets around the world.” As of the evening of February 3, while I’m writing this, the total has reached nearly $300,000.
Robertson can now afford a luxury car, if he wants one But he told the Detroit Free Press that he’s a Ford fan. “I remember the Taurus. They look comfortable, nothing fancy. They’re simple on the outside, strong on the inside — like me.”
+++
This story made my month! It certainly rocks the prevalent stereotype of black inner city residents as lazy slackers collecting welfare checks.
Here’s another similar good news story: Mugged 4ft 6in disabled pensioner, 67, meets the selfless beautician who raised £280,000 in just four days to buy him a new home on https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2935072/Disabled-4ft-6in-mugging-victim-buy-new-home-donations-exceed-200-000-mark.html
The response has been so amazing they have now decided to stop the fund at £329,000.
Great story, Mike. Another act of human kindness that made a huge difference in someone’s life!
Love it!
Nice to see happy news for a change. :o)
Isn’t it?
I saw the original story, but I missed this followup. I am crying tears of happiness for all the good people who have helped this man. I myself not long ago gave money to a friend who has had a liver transplant and needed money. We and his other friends were able to get him and his wife what they needed while she couldn’t work.
Thank you for letting me know about James and Evan. It made my day. 🙂
I’ll have to check to say what they’ve raised since Feb 3. I saw your post about your friend who had the liver transplant. That was generous of all of you!
It’s now over 300K!
Paying it forward with random acts of kindness…..what a beautiful example. It lifts the spirit and tells us that the world is FULL of truly caring people, if we will only open our eyes and hearts to see. Thank you for sharing this bit of human goodness.