What happened when a college student walked all night to his new job

Dedication and gratitude are keys to success and this young man proves it.

When college student Walter Carr got a job at a moving company he seized the opportunity to show his gratitude and dedication. His first job was at a house 20 miles from his home in Homewood, Alabama. He needed to be there 8 a.m. sharp. The only hiccup was that Carr’s own vehicle had broken down the night before. After exhausting all options, the young man checked out the map and decided there was only one thing to do: go on a 7-hour walk to get there on time.

Before setting off on his journey at midnight, Carr had a bite to eat to help keep him going on his trip, and to sustain him for a full day’s work ahead — forgetting that he might be physically exhausted! Luckily for the new employee, kind-hearted policemen stopped him mid-hike and, impressed by his grit and determination, decided to step in and help out. Firstly they took Carr for breakfast, then made sure that he got to his first removal job in Pelham by 6:30 a.m.

Proud to have encountered this young man. He certainly made an impact on us!#PelhamPD #belikewalter pic.twitter.com/d0zz0PMvnv
— Pelham Police Dept (@PelhamPoliceAL) July 16, 2018

On arrival he met Jenny Lamey and her husband who’d woken up early for their busy moving day. Lamey couldn’t believe the lengths Carr had gone to to get to work on time and offered him a room to take a nap. But he declined her offer and wanted to get things prepared for his other colleagues’ arrival later on.

While working away, he shared with his new client how he and his mother had moved from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina had destroyed their home. It seems that when Carr is faced with adversity he rises to the challenge, with faith that things will work out in the end.

Understandably the mom from Birmingham, Alabama, was blown away by Carr’s work ethic, saying, “He is humble and kind and cheerful and he has big dreams! He is hardworking and tough,” on a post shared on social media.

While many praised Carr for his attitude, his boss Luke Marklin, CEO of Bellhops, which is based in Tennessee, tweeted “The grit and heart Walter showed defines Bellhops’ culture precisely. I’m really proud to be on the same team as Walter …” To show his gratitude he decided to drive to Alabama and reward his new staff member in a most generous manner, by gifting him with a car.

This is an incredible story. The grit and heart Walter showed defines Bellhops' culture precisely. I'm really proud to be on the same team as Walter… we set a high bar on service and he just raised it. Look forward to thanking him in person this week. https://t.co/Fr4ytu5CM1
— Luke Marklin (@LukeMarklin) July 15, 2018

This story also inspired us for all the people involved. Not only was Carr’s dedication most remarkable, the people he met along his way were, too: from the police, to his client, his boss, and the very generous people who have donated to a GoFundMe page initially set up by Lamey to help with Carr’s broken down vehicle. And here again, Carr, who eventually wants to join the Marines, has demonstrated his generous nature. With a whopping $73,000 raised by individuals moved by his story, the young man is on a mission to help others by insisting that any money raised over $66,000 (the current total at the time of his decision) would go to help others get a college education through the Birmingham Ed Foundation.

As Lamey stated, “He gives us hope and courage and renews our faith in the resiliency of the human spirit. He is a role model, an example of impeccable character, humility, grit, determination, faith and work ethic.”