What to Know
- Walter Carr walked 20 miles for a new job as a mover because his car had broken down. Carr's family lost their home in Hurricane Katrina
- Client Jenny Lamey heard about his story from police officers who were impressed with Carr and had bought him breakfast
- Bellhops' CEO was also impressed with Carr's work ethic and gave him a car. "Nothing is impossible unless you make it impossible," Carr said
An Alabama college student whose car broke down just before his first day of work as a mover made the 20-mile journey on foot, a feat that earned him fame — and a new car.
Hours before his first day working for Bellhops movers, Walter Carr set out from Homewood at midnight, making it to Pelham by 4 a.m. Friday, AL.com and other news outlets reported. There, he encountered Pelham police officers, who took him to breakfast and dropped him at his assignment.
Client Jenny Lamey said in a Facebook post that the officer who told her Carr's story had "complete admiration for Walter and by my reaction he could tell I did too."
"He was from New Orleans," she wrote in her post. "He and his mother lost their home in Hurricane Katrina and they came and made their home in Birmingham."
Carr declined Lamey's offer to go upstairs to rest. He got straight to work instead well before other movers arrived to help.
Impressed by Carr's work ethic, she started a GoFundMe that's raised nearly $8,450 as of Tuesday morning.
When Bellhops CEO Luke Marklin learned about his new employee, he drove his own car from Tennessee on Monday to surprise Carr with it.
Carr told AL.com that he had wanted his employer to know his dedication.
"I said I'm going to get to this job one way or another," he said.
U.S. & World
Carr, a student at Lawson State, hopes to join the U.S. Marines, then eventually get a degree in physical therapy, AL.com reported.
He said he was grateful for the outpouring of support and that he wanted people to know that "nothing is impossible unless you make it impossible."
