Determined Student Walked 20 Miles to New Job, So His Boss Gave Him a Car (Video)
 

Proof that good things still do happen to good people :thumbsup

Determined College Student Walked 20 Miles Overnight to New Job, So His Boss Gave Him a Car

Carr’s feat of defiance started when his car broke down the night before he was to start his new job with Bellhops moving company.

Unfazed, Carr decided to walk from Homewood, Ala., to Pelham throughout the night, across highways, for some 20 miles or more.

He got to Pelham at 4 a.m., where four concerned officers stopped him to ask if he was okay. Carr explained his situation, prompting Pelham police officer Mark Knighten to step in.

Knighten, along with fellow officers Klint Rhodes and Carl Perkinson, took Carr to Whataburger where they treated him to breakfast and told him to grab lunch to go as well. Then they drove Carr to a church — which they deemed the safest place to leave him until it was time for him to be at work.

Officer Scott Duffey, who was just coming back on the clock then heard the story from his co-workers and went looking for Carr — who had already left the church, dedicated as ever — and dropped him off at his job assignment.

Jenny Lamey, the person that Carr was meant to help move that day, posted about the incident on Facebook after she was greeted by Duffey and Carr.

“[Carr] WALKED ALL NIGHT to get from Homewood to Pelham. Because he needed to get to work. For those reading this that are not local, that’s over 20 miles. You could tell how the officer told us this story that he had complete admiration for Walter and by my reaction he could tell I did too,’’ she wrote. “The police officer said they picked him up earlier that morning, took him to get some breakfast and once they checked his story out, brought Walter to our house.”

Lamey told Carr he was welcome to stay, and even offered to let him go upstairs and take a nap until the rest of the crew arrived, but the hardworking student declined and instead got straight to work.

“We chatted while we were working together early yesterday morning. He loved my kitchen and said that it was exactly the kind of kitchen he would want. He was from New Orleans. He and his mother lost their home in Hurricane Katrina and they came and made their home in Birmingham,’’ Lamey wrote. “I asked him if he was tired from all that walking, and he said replied that he wasn’t and that he had a 4-hour nap before he left at midnight.”

Lamey took actions into her own hands, setting up a GoFundMe to help Carr. In just two days, the campaign has smashed its $2,000 goal, raising almost $39,000 as of 9:17 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.

Eventually, Carr’s boss, Bellhops CEO Luke Marklin got wind of the story and decided to help out as well. Marklin drove from Tennessee to allegedly meet Carr for some coffee to thank him for his dedication, but then decided to give Carr his own barely-driven 2014 Ford Escape.

“I am honestly blown away by him,’’ Marklin said of Carr. “Everything he did that day is exactly who we are — heart and grit. So far, he’s batting 1,000.”

As Marklin handed Carr his keys, Carr couldn’t believe it.

“Seriously?” the college student is heard asking.

Carr, who wants to be a U.S. Marine (and will probably pass training and all tests with flying colors with that kind of determination), said that he was just grateful for the opportunity to work.

“This was the first job in a long time to give me an opportunity to get hired,’’ he told AL.com. “I wanted to show them I got the dedication. I said I’m going to get to this job one way or another.’’

“I want people to know this — no matter what the challenge is, you can break through the challenge. Nothing is impossible unless you make it impossible,’’ he added. “You can do anything you set your mind to. I’ve got God by my side. I’m really emotional right now trying to hold back the tears.”

There we go . . .

He should be fired for not being innovative enough to hitch hike.

:1orglaugh

What car? All I saw was a key and a guy babbling for 2 minutes.

His GoFundMe today...

The story had me in tears, I won't lie I read your comment and laughed pretty hard.

Weird shift in emotions.

I read that a few days ago and saw the video. I cried, too. Most kids would have tried to get a ride and if not, called in and said he couldn't get to work. He walked 14.5 miles until the police took him to breakfast.

He's a true inspiration and probably will be a great bellhop.

He's dedicated and deserved the car. He'll work extra hard in thanks. Kudos to the police who bought him breakfast and lunch. They recognized a good person and knew not many kids would leave for work at midnight for an 8:00 am job.

Hopefully the donations will go for housing, insurance, college and the future. Good things happen to good people.

I'd love to know more about his background, home life, family, etc.

i call bs, 20 miles walking, are you shitting me ?
i dont know whole story but did he even reach his office same day ? or next week.

why didn't he hitch hike ?

stuff like this only happens in movies.

I was skeptical at first as well, but read the story. His car broke down the night before he had to work his first moving job, so his job is going to locations, he really needed the work, so he took a 4 hour nap and then walked to the town he was supposed to be at for work the next day. By 4am he finally got there, cops found him, took him for some breakfast and dropped him off at a church so he could rest and be safe. Then another cop heard the story and took him from the church to the clients house, all this before the job start time. The homeowner was shocked and offered him to sleep upstairs till it was work time, he wasn't tired so he just started the work.