Awesome - Company CEO Couldn’t Believe What Employee Did On His First Day Of Work!
A strong work ethic can take a person far in life as long as they don’t give up. Faced with an unbelievable challenge, college student Walter Carr showcased how badly he wanted success by walking many miles to make it for his first day of work. It was also the day Jenny and her husband Chris Lamey were moving to a new home, so they had hired movers to come assist and woke up early to greet them. The couple would later hear a knock at the door at 6:30 A.M. They assumed it was the movers, but to their surprise, it was the police standing next to a young man…
Who Is Walter Carr?
Walter Carr was a 20-year-old college student from Homewood, Alabama, with hopes of becoming a Marine. He ended up in Homewood with his mom after they lost their home to Hurricane Katrina.
As a young man in college, he didn’t have a ton of money, and his job at the time didn’t help with that. He quit the fast-food business and found new employment with a moving company called Bellhops. The pay was higher, and Carr gained more flexibility with his hours, allowing him to focus on his studies a bit more.
First Day, No Way
Sometimes, life hits you unexpectedly. A day before Carr began his new job, his 2003 Nissan Altima broke down! Carr was about to run some errands when he went to start his Altima, and he couldn’t get it going.
With little money to his name, he couldn’t take it to the mechanic, so his options were slim. None of his friends were available to take him either. After asking several people, including his girlfriend, Carr gave up on finding a ride.
Beginning To Panic
After none of his ideas panned out, Carr’s mind began racing. There was no immediate solution he could think that would help his situation! The public transportation from where he was and needed to be wasn’t a viable option.
If he were to take a cab, it would cost him half his salary. After taking a look at his GPS, Carr knew the distance would be incredibly challenging without a car. He needed a lot of creativity to figure out how to pull this off!
A Long Journey Ahead
The GPS revealed that it would be roughly a seven-hour walk for Carr. He needed to get to his new job so he could help a couple of move in the morning, and he was short on options.
After deep contemplation, he decided to use his two feet to get where he needed to be. Even though it seemed like such a far walk, Carr knew he was fit enough to do it. This was complicated, but Carr knew it was possible…
The Walk Of Fate
Carr dreamed of joining the Marines once he completed college, so he saw this as a test to prepare his body for the future. He wanted to do everything he could to secure this new employment opportunity, so he had to make it to work on his first day!
To make it by eight in the morning, he thought the safest bet would be to leave at midnight. Carr even challenged himself to make it there before the estimated time of arrival that Google told him.
It Was Time To Go
After Carr made the decision, he began getting ready for the mission. He cooked up some eggs with bologna so he would have the energy to complete this trip.
Carr went to bed to get in a couple of hours of sleep, but that was more than enough for him. It seemed like only five minutes before the alarm rang, but that meant it was time to begin his 20-mile walk to his first day of work!
Don’t Forget About Safety
Another great thing about his new job is that Carr didn’t need to take that much with him. He really only needed strong characteristics, such as strength and attitude. That allowed him to keep his backpack light for the walk.
He grabbed his wallet, phone, a bat, and a kitchen knife for safety purposes. Not because of other people, but in case a wild animal approached him, at least he’d have something for protection. Walking in the dark at night can be frightening!
Off Into The Darkness
Carr started his long walk finally, walking at a steady pace and adding in sprinting every now and then to make up some time. He knew a dangerous situation could’ve happened at any moment, so he remained conscious of his surroundings.
A few hours into the trek, he saw eyes in the distance, so he grabbed his bat before realizing it was just a stray dog. He walked across the street, hoping the pooch wouldn’t bother him, and he also picked up a ball and threw it in the opposite direction. It worked. Due to Carr making great time, he decided to rest for a couple of minutes…
Time To Rest
Carr walked for four hours straight and felt great about it. His legs burned a bit, but another four hours wouldn’t hurt him. He thought a quick rest would help him.
Taking a break would give him more energy, so it was a calculated decision on his behalf. That’s when he saw a pair of lights pulling up to him. After walking for so long, Carr hadn’t seen any vehicles, so he became a little frightened upon seeing this car at four in the morning…
Was It The Police??
As the vehicle drew closer, Carr realized it was a cop car! The last thing he wanted was for the police to see him sitting on the side of the road, but they pulled up right next to him.
He began to worry that they wouldn’t believe him, so his fear grew. For someone with his ethnicity, dealing with the authorities isn’t always the easiest of things to do. And receiving sympathy might’ve been out of the picture.
A Kindred Spirit
When the officer finally pulled up to Carr, he rolled down the window and asked why he was all alone in the morning on the road. The officer’s name was Mark Knighton, as Carr remembered.
That’s when Carr tried to explain his situation. He told the policeman that his car broke down and that he had no other option but to walk to work because it was his first day on the new job. Thankfully, Knighton believed him right away.
Time To Eat
Officer Knighton told Carr that his determination to arrive on time was impressive, even if it meant getting there on foot. He asked if Carr was hungry to which he said yes, but he didn’t have any money.
The policeman invited Carr out to eat and said he didn’t need to pay for a thing. At first, Carr had his suspicions about his generosity, but he knew he didn’t have much choice. It was time to eat with the cop…
Helping Carr Tremendously
After chowing down on some much-needed food, Officer Knighton informed Carr that he couldn’t take him all the way where he needed to be, but he could get him closer to Birmingham. He transported Carr closer to his destination, and Carr was extremely grateful.
Knighton still had another trick up his sleeve. After speaking with another officer nearby, they figured out a new plan. Knighton dropped Carr off at the local church, and the other policeman would scoop him up from there.
Starting To Feel Anxious
After thanking the officer, he went on his way, and Carr waited as instructed. Some time passed, but the new policeman still didn’t show up, so Carr grew anxious thinking all his work would be for not.
As the moments passed, Carr chose to continue his heroic journey. It was over five hours since he started his trip, and Carr began to see the light of the dawn coming up. He was running out of time…
Luck Was On His Side
As luck would have it, Carr only made it so far before seeing a police car pulling up next to him. One of the policemen in the vehicle rolled down the window to make sure it was Carr.
Finally, Carr entered the cop car, and they happily started their trip to Carr’s final destination. He was so grateful because he would be early on his first day, and he would even have some time to rest before working!
Getting In Early
Arriving early was great for Carr since the job required a bunch of energy and effort. His first duty was to help Jenny and Chris with their move, and he made it there at 6:30 A.M., thanks to the police.
Carr knocked on the door with the police officer next to him, and when Jenny Lamey opened it, she couldn’t believe her eyes. That’s when the officer explained that Carr had walked all night to make it on time.
Full Of Energy
Jenny Lamey was in disbelief over the whole situation. She immediately offered Carr a cup of water and told him to get some rest before the rest of the team showed up in an hour. Carr had a lot of energy and wanted to get started.
Shortly after, everyone else arrived, and although they had never met, the employees had a ton of chemistry. The Bellhops workers packed up everything and unloaded it at the new home with ease.
Something Of A Role Model
The efficiency the workers showed, mixed with Carr’s determination and energy, impressed the Lamey family. Carr had so much extra in the tank that he even played basketball with Jenny’s three young children.
Carr’s story went viral, and that’s when Jenny told the media Carr was the perfect type of role model she wanted her kids to be around. That’s incredibly high praise, to have a stranger willing to vouch for you and want you to spend time with their children!
Going Social With It
The story touched Jenny and her whole family so much, and she wanted to make sure Carr’s efforts would get proper recognition. She didn’t have to do it, but it was important to her.
After figuring some things out, Jenny called Walter’s boss to say how impressed she was by his grit and performance at work. She also shared the situation with everyone on her social media accounts. Jenny wanted this news to spread far and wide…
Good News Travels Fast…
Jenny had no idea the whole world would hear about this story! Her post went viral, and everyone wanted to help Carr.
That’s when she started a GoFundMe page for him to assist with donations that could get him back on his feet. Much to their delight, the campaign brought in over $44,000 for Carr! On top of that, a financial adviser agreed to help Carr for free so that he wouldn’t make the wrong decisions with all that money.
Someone Was Very Proud
All Carr wanted to do was keep his job, which he did. And his luck didn’t end after that day. The CEO of Bellops heard about this story and chose to add even more recognition to Carr’s efforts.
The CEO, Luke Marklin, called Carr, who couldn’t believe it when he answered the phone. Marklin told him how much he appreciated the hard work and effort Carr showed and said that he wanted to meet him in person.
A New Future Awaits
The two chose a day to meet at a local cafe. Carr arrived and saw a few of his colleagues awaiting him. There was some confusion, but Carr was also excited to see what would happen next.
Then, CEO Luke Marklin handed Carr a set of keys. He told him the keys were for his 2014 Ford Escape, a gift for an extremely hard-working employee! Marklin gave Carr a vehicle free of charge, and Carr was in utter disbelief.
Working Hard Does Pay Off
This heartwarming story shows that determination and hard work can go a long way. Carr knew he wasn’t getting enough income from his fast-food job and needed more money, so he wasn’t afraid to venture out to something new.
As it turned out, having his car break down was a blessing in disguise, but it took strength and confidence to succeed. Had he not had the determination to walk all those miles, Carr wouldn’t be driving in a new car with thousands of dollars to his name.
Luke Marklin Was Really Impressed
When you grab the attention of a highly successful CEO, then you’re on the right track. Carr did something many would’ve laughed at the idea of, and Marklin loved it.
“I am honestly blown away by him. Everything Walter Carr did his first day of work is exactly who we are — heart and grit. So far, he’s batting 1,000,” said Marklin. Do you know anyone with the courage to attempt what Carr did?
Steve Harvey Loves It
The story got so big that Steve Harvey invited Carr on his show. When speaking with Harvey, Carr told him: “My car broke down, my ride bailed on me, and I was thinking I got two legs and two feet … I have a way to get there.”
The inspiring story pushed Harvey to tears, and he also provided insightful feedback. “You see, the color is all out of this story,” Harvey added. “This ain’t a story about color. This is really the truth about who we are and who we’re supposed to be.”
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