Man walks 21 miles to and from work everyday! Not missed a day of work in 10 years

[Newell Steamer]

Google maps shows a nearly 3 hour commute by buses to get to Rochester Hills from Detroit - one way.

And, a 37 minute car ride. Also, a 7 hour walk at 27 miles, one way.

None of this seems feasible / possible.

 

[Tweak155]

How?

Because he had a dedication to getting to work. That dedication paid off in the form of public sympathy, whether anyone agrees with it or not.

 

[Tweak155]

Another $18k in about 2hrs. Soon he will be able to buy a house cash right by his work!

 

[iamwiz82]

Curious what company is he employed by?

Schain Mold. It's just down the street from me.

 

[iamwiz82]

He works for a plastic injection molder. I used to work in the same industry right out of HS and the pay on the production side of things (not the tool making side) is unbelievably bad. One article states that he's making just $10.55/hour after 10 years at the company.

Props to the guy, but he doesn't sound like the brightest fellow in the world. He couldn't get a job closer to home that pays a similar shitty wage? Or, hell, in 10 years maybe even found a better paying job.

A lot of people are not following that he had a car, but it died. I don't think he is in a position to just quit to find something else, and he doesn't have time to find something closer.

Keep in mind that finding a good, full-time job in that area of Detroit isn't easy. Why would he just drop it?

 

[iamwiz82]

Google maps shows a nearly 3 hour commute by buses to get to Rochester Hills from Detroit - one way.

And, a 37 minute car ride. Also, a 7 hour walk at 27 miles, one way.

None of this seems feasible / possible.

It's less than a 37 minute drive. It's about 25 minutes. I work past him in Detroit and live near where he works so I have experience with this.

 

[NoTine42]

He works for a plastic injection molder. I used to work in the same industry right out of HS and the pay on the production side of things (not the tool making side) is unbelievably bad. One article states that he's making just $10.55/hour after 10 years at the company.

Props to the guy, but he doesn't sound like the brightest fellow in the world. He couldn't get a job closer to home that pays a similar shitty wage? Or, hell, in 10 years maybe even found a better paying job.

Google said Detroit had a 14.9% unemployment rate in Nov 2014. I am guessing there are not many $10-$20/hr jobs available in the area. And if you had a $20/hr job, you could probably get someone to do it for $15/hr or less.

 

[Carson Dyle]

A lot of people are not following that he had a car, but it died. I don't think he is in a position to just quit to find something else, and he doesn't have time to find something closer.

Keep in mind that finding a good, full-time job in that area of Detroit isn't easy. Why would he just drop it?

I didn't suggest that he quit before he found something else. Ten years of working a bad job requires a hell of a lot better excuse than "didn't have time" to find another job.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Google said Detroit had a 14.9% unemployment rate in Nov 2014. I am guessing there are not many $10-$20/hr jobs available in the area. And if you had a $20/hr job, you could probably get someone to do it for $15/hr or less.

In ten years, someone couldn't find a job that pays a similar $10-11 per hour and DOESN'T require ten+ hours of commuting every day? That's really difficult for me to believe.

 

[Gunbuster]

Hope a CPA is going to lend a hand. The income tax on $90,000+ is going to be a bitch.

 

[boomerang]

In ten years, someone couldn't find a job that pays a similar $10-11 per hour and DOESN'T require ten+ hours of commuting every day? That's really difficult for me to believe.

Move to the Detroit area and experience it for yourself. Housing in Detroit is dirt cheap to make it more enticing.

Some questions for you. How long has Michigan been in a recession and what caused it? Which state leads the nation in population decline? See where I'm going with this?

 

[Carson Dyle]

Hope a CPA is going to lend a hand. The income tax on $90,000+ is going to be a bitch.

Shit, he'll probably need help opening up a checking account so that he can cash the check.

 

[manimal]

hopefully he doesnt go to a checks cashed place.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Move to the Detroit area and experience it for yourself. Housing in Detroit is dirt cheap to make it more enticing.

If I worked hard at it, do you think I could find something with only maybe 10 miles to walk every day? Sounds like the land of opportunity. No wonder he's stuck it out for so long.

Some questions for you. How long has Michigan been in a recession and what caused it? Which state leads the nation in population decline? See where I'm going with this?

Then he's dumb for not getting the hell out of Detroit with the rest. Any way you slice it, there's no reason for anyone to walk 21 miles a day for a shitty job for years on end.

Is there more to his story? Like he has a child who receives dialysis across the street from his house, or maybe his bedridden parents live down the block? SOMETHING?

 

[GasX]

I applaud this guy, I truly do. However, I think it is sad how many people are patting themselves on the back for helping this guy out. Sounds to me like he doesn't need help. He is a nose to the grindstone work hard type of guy and good for him, but there are far more needy people out there if people would actually look to be generous without jumping on the feel good bandwagon...

 

[OverVolt]

Wait..how the fuck is it 50% longer on the way back?

Bus route coverage gaps are why he walks. Bigger gap in the evening I would imagine.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I applaud this guy, I truly do. However, I think it is sad how many people are patting themselves on the back for helping this guy out. Sounds to me like he doesn't need help. He is a nose to the grindstone work hard type of guy and good for him, but there are far more needy people out there if people would actually look to be generous without jumping on the feel good bandwagon...

People love a story like this. What's so wrong with feeling good about yourself for helping someone out? Hell, I feel good about myself when I recycle a beer bottle. I take what I can get.

 

[Viper GTS]

Hope a CPA is going to lend a hand. The income tax on $90,000+ is going to be a bitch.

Is it taxable if no one individual gives over the annual gift limit?

Viper GTS

 

[OverVolt]

I applaud this guy, I truly do. However, I think it is sad how many people are patting themselves on the back for helping this guy out. Sounds to me like he doesn't need help. He is a nose to the grindstone work hard type of guy and good for him, but there are far more needy people out there if people would actually look to be generous without jumping on the feel good bandwagon...

It makes people feel bad for calling out from their 10 mile car commute in 2 inches of show while this man walks 21 miles with no car in 2 feet of snow through Detroit.

 

[motsm]

Holy shit. He gets up at 6AM to work a 2-10PM shift and gets home at 4AM. His commute to get home takes six hours. He gets two hours of sleep M-F.

I'm not so sure I buy that, less than 2 hours of sleep 5 nights a week for 10 years would just make a person mentally ill or dead if I had to guess.

 

[chowderhead]

Is it taxable if no one individual gives over the annual gift limit?

Viper GTS

should be tax free if they are donations.
http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/raised-money-kickstarter-time-pay-uncle-sam-n51236

 

[CPA]

I'm not so sure I buy that, less than 2 hours of sleep 5 nights a week for 10 years would just make a person mentally ill or dead if I had to guess.

I remember a female Olympian sprinter from the late 80s/early 90s who only got 3 hours sleep a night. Some people just don't need as much.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I remember a female Olympian sprinter from the late 80s/early 90s who only got 3 hours sleep a night. Some people just don't need as much.

There was also something in the article I read about him pounding a 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew plus numerous cans of Coke every day. Probably the only diabetic in the US who walks 100+ miles a week.

 

[darkewaffle]

Good for him, very impressive. I wouldn't say walking is the greatest solution but honestly maybe he wasn't sure what else he could do, good on him for sticking to it.

The response to a 'feel good' story like this is probably pretty overblown (and I agree there are greater needs by far) but hey, I think you have to hope there's enough people that care to cover needs great and small.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Something isn't adding up. 2 hours when he gets home. He obviously needs to eat and take a shower so that leaves a hour to sleep. I'm sure the guy makes a hell of a walk and all but the 21 miles isn't feasible.