FedEx employees notice coworker walking 12 miles to work for 4 AM shift for weeks, surprise her with the gift of a lifetime
Commuting to the workplace each day is a hassle on its own. Either you get stuck in traffic or have to cover long distances by switching public transport or walking. Having a private car really helps a great deal to make the routine journey easier. However, 60-year-old FedEx worker, Darlene Quinn, had no option but to trek 24 miles to her workplace each day, per Fox 2 Detroit. Quinn's car had broken down a while back and he couldn't afford a new vehicle. So, Quinn had to start her journey from home to reach the FedEx facility at Spartanburg, South Carolina at 4 a.m. each day.
Quinn, who worked at the facility as a package handler, got noticed by her co-worker, Josh Lewis. Lewis stepped in to help his elderly co-worker by starting a GoFundMe page for her at first. The fundraiser was organized to help Quinn to get her a working car and the remainder of the amount would go into her bank account to help her pay the taxes, maintenance and insurance costs on the vehicle. Lewis also mentioned on the GoFundMe page that he and their boss, Mark McDaniel, had made sure to give Quinn a ride to work every time they spotted her on the road.
“She walks in the rain, in the cold, in whatever weather condition she has to get to work and support herself," Lewis continued. “Anytime we pick her up and ask her where she needs to go and she always tells us, Walmart. She gets just enough groceries for that day because that is all she can carry. She is so humble and grateful for the rides we have been giving her. Often she asks if she can give us gas money, to which we always in the most polite way tell her no.” Lewis admitted that he couldn't imagine walking 24 miles each day and then go work in a demanding job environment.
Lewis and Quinn's coworkers finally managed to collect enough funds and gift her a car to commute to the FedEx facility comfortably. “It was amazing," Lewis told The Greenville News. "She just started bawling crying and saying how she can’t believe that this is happening to her.” Two locally-owned businesses also reached out, expressing interest in helping Quinn by offering her free oil changes and tire service as per her needs. Quinn's reaction after receiving the surprise was recorded by Lewis and posted on Facebook. The elderly woman got visibly emotional when she received the gift.
"Here we go, guys! Darlene and her new car! Thank you everyone for your donations! I hope this video and these pictures bless your day. Thank you so much to Susan and Steve at TV Auto Sales on Wade Hampton for helping to make this happen for Darlene!" Lewis wrote on the first Facebook post. He also shared two pictures of Quinn posing next to her brand-new ride and smiling. "She came to me today and gave me this thank you card. She said that she would love to thank all of you individually but she knew that it’s probably not possible to do that. She said that the words in this card express how she feels from deep in her heart," Lewis concluded by sharing the "Thank You" cards he received from Quinn.