Support NeoGAF

[jett]

I don't understand how he lived sleeping two hours a night for 10 years.

 

[Shake Appeal]

Dude deserves to be carried on a palanquin each day and night, but this is a classic example of people caring selectively and profusely for people whom they collectively deem "deserving" while completely ignoring every systemic problem.

 

[theignoramus]

American bootstrap culture at its worst.

I dont even think the 50 grand is much consolation for living 10 years of his life as an automaton. Poor guy must have a ton of mental baggage.

 

[Kozak]

Yeah nah I dunno this sounds sus as hell.

The guy even rejects some rides because hes very independent .

 

[Unicorn]

If the boss loves him so much, why is he still earning less than 11$?

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

I love the people that are suspicious of this man, like he's playing the long con.

I'm suspicious of any feel-good story on the internet.

Including this one.

None of this makes sense.

 

[super-heated plasma]

The guy has been donated over 250000 so far and has received numerous offers of free cars used and new from dealerships and strangers. Crazy.

 

[DoktorEvil]

If the boss loves him so much, why is he still earning less than 11$?

Probably why his boss loves him so much: he's not asking for more money.

Even asking for a car as fringe would be applicable.

 

[Ol No Bones]

I made 11 dollars an hour for a long time and still afforded a car apartment food etc. You have to have a shitty car, apartment and pbj sandwiches every day but its doable. Maybe the cost of living is higher there... I'm a bit confused by this guy honestly. There was no way for this guy to get a clunker? I mean come on... How many hours does he get?

 

[Vitten]

someone needs to introduce this guy to a wonderful new and cheap invention I've heard of:

 

[mackattk]

I made 11 dollars an hour for a long time and still afforded a car apartment food etc. You have to have a shitty car, apartment and pbj sandwiches every day but its doable. Maybe the cost of living is higher there... I'm a bit confused by this guy honestly. There was no way for this guy to get a clunker? I mean come on... How many hours does he get?

Its detroit, i am sure the cost of living is dirt cheap. I am going to have to go out on a limb and say that his girlfriend doesn't work at all, and its up spending all his money. It sounds like the house is paid off so there is no rent/mortgage. Only excuse I can come up with how he has no money to afford a car or bike. FFS he has no time to spend any money since he is commuting/working/sleeping all the time.

Spoiler

I am also going to bet that his girlfriend takes/spends the money donated (what is it? 250k now?) and after the money is through break up with him.

 

[Dalek]

someone needs to introduce this guy to a wonderful new and cheap invention I've heard of:

Have you ever ridden a block in the snow-let alone 21 miles?

 

[Pryce]

So he lives in a house that he inherited, makes almost 11hr an hour, but can't afford a bike? Where the hell does his money go?

 

[bsod]

Can he not get a job closer?

A 56 year-old guy getting a new job in Detroit?

 

[Fury451]

Wow, stuff like this is a great reminder to check my complaining and be thankful for what I have.

 

[GifGafIsTheBestGaf]

thats really nice

btw this reminds me, what happened to the gaffer that had this very same problem? did he buy the vespa?

 

[mackattk]

So he lives in a house that he* inherited, makes almost 11hr an hour, but can't afford a bike? Where the hell does his money go?

*his girlfriend inherited.

 

[Dalek]

For walking man James Robertson, 3 whirlwind days

Two days ago Detroiter James Robertson couldn't afford a car — and today he can afford a small fleet.

Just last week, Robertson was spending lonely hours walking 21 miles to and from his suburban factory job, treks forced by the Motor City's sky-high car insurance and the region's spotty bus service.

It's been a whirlwind three days. Calls and e-mails have flooded the Free Press sending him well wishes and offering him cars, jobs, rides to work and encouragement, Some who read his story just want to meet him — shake his hand or give him a hug.

"I gotta say, this is Detroit, this is how people are in Detroit. They say Los Angeles is the city of angels. That's wrong. Detroit is the real city of angels," Robertson said.

Robertson spent Monday and Tuesday being shuttled to interviews. National networks interviewed him Monday night. Radio stations and People magazine have talked to him as well. And through it all, the 56-year old factory worker has remained humble.

"I have to be careful how I act about this — the same God who brings you all these blessings can take them away, but hopefully I'm ready for what happens," Robertson said.

Sunday's story, still available to read at freep.com, told of how a full-time job and daily commutes of 21 miles on foot each day left him just two hours for sleep, eased at times when a friendly banker would stop in bad weather to give him rides. Immediately a college student got the ball rolling to raise money to buy Robertson a car, with an initial goal of raising $5,000. As of late Tuesday more than $254,000 has been donated.

At Mr. B's Food & Spirits bar in Rochester, Robertson hugged WSU computer whiz Evan Leedy, 19, of Macomb Township, in thanks for creating the fund-raising web page.

"I'm always going to be in your debt. I will never forget this," Robertson said, as the younger man in the sweater-hoodie shook his hand Monday night.

UBS Vice President of Wealth Management Blake Pollock of Rochestor talks with James Robertson, 56, of Detroit, after giving him a ride to work following spotting Robertson walking along Crooks Rd. to his shift at Schain Mold & Engineering in Rochester Hills.

James Robertson, 56, of Detroit, talks with plant manager Todd before his shift.

James Robertson, 56, of Detroit, prays before eating in the break room before his shift at Schain Mold & Engineering in Rochester Hills.

James Robertson (center), 56, of Detroit, writes his clock number inside of pressurized toilet vessels he worked on during his shift as a injection molding machine operator with co-worker Tom Menoroth at Schain Mold & Engineering in Rochester Hills.

 

[GaimeGuy]

His plant manager is an asshole

 

[BreezyLimbo]

http://news.yahoo.com/detroit-man-james-robertson-walks-to-work-moved-police-safety-180757947.html

An update but apparently he's going to move closer to his job because the publicity/money he's received has possibly put him in a dangerous position.

 

[xxracerxx]

His plant manager is an asshole

Don't diss the duster.

 

[Dalek]

http://news.yahoo.com/detroit-man-james-robertson-walks-to-work-moved-police-safety-180757947.html

An update but apparently he's going to move closer to his job because the publicity/money he's received has possibly put him in a dangerous position.

"We had a meeting with him [and] he expressed interest that he did not feel safe," Detroit Police Capt. Aric Tosqui told the newspaper. "People were actually asking him for money."

Good grief. Really??

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

Great that he's getting help, but the whole situation is some serious bullshit man. 10 years of your life wasted on this shit...

Upon further reading the dude just sounds crazy tbh.

 

[Psychological Intellect]

He coudlnt get a bike?

 

[Bearthgar]

Media hype story. I'm glad some people feel good about themselves for donating.

 

[Dalek]

He coudlnt get a bike?

Out of curiosity-how far have you ridden a bike in snow before?

 

[big_z]

I don't understand how he lived sleeping two hours a night for 10 years.

Probably only works 2-3 days a week. It's not possible otherwise.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

Out of curiosity-how far have you ridden a bike in snow before?

Google says it snows about 40 days a year in Detroit. Doesn't seem like a good idea to base your commute on 40 days, most of which probably don't see any serious snowfall.

I don't understand how he lived sleeping two hours a night for 10 years.

His boss, coworkers, friends, girlfriend and he himself were crazy in the head.

Probably only works 2-3 days a week. It's not possible otherwise.

Says he sleeps on the weekends in one of the articles, so it sounds like a full time job.

 

[Mxrz]

Good for him. Its fucked up seeing all that praise from the boss, but you know. ..couldn't give the guy a lift or anything, at least to the mall for the bus.

Riding a bike through the streets of Detroit sounds like a fantastic way to lose a bike. Imagine the dude has been held up so much any would be mugger knows he has nothing to take.

 

[Dalek]

http://m.sfgate.com/news/us/article/Man-who-walked-miles-to-work-gets-new-suburban-6135389.php

DETROIT (AP) — A man who said he walked 21 miles to and from work each day is settling into a new, suburban Detroit apartment after receiving thousands of dollars in online donations

James Robertson said he feels more secure in Oakland County's Troy after moving north from his Detroit home to escape people asking him for money, the Detroit Free Press said Sunday (http://on.freep.com/1x6cWZd ).

The 56-year-old gained celebrity after the newspaper reported earlier this year that he began walking to a job at an auto parts factory when his car stopped working in 2005 and bus service was cut back.

A local college student launched a modest crowdfunding campaign to a buy a new car. It led to $360,000 eventually being raised and Robertson receiving a new, $35,000 Ford Taurus from an auto dealership.

"I may have been born there, but God knows I don't belong there anymore," Robertson said about his old neighborhood near Detroit's New Center area.

The plastic-molding operator also said he didn't tell people in his old neighborhood where he was moving.

He still works at the same factory in Rochester Hills, which pays him $10.55 an hour, but the hours-long walking trip now is done in a 20-minute drive.

"I'm going to keep working — that's for sure," he told the newspaper.

Financial experts are donating their services to help Robertson manage his money. The one-bedroom apartment in Troy costs him $800 a month in rent. He had been paying $880 per month for less space in his ex-girlfriend's home in Detroit.

Most of his money now is in a trust that has a principal amount of $351,000. The earnings from the trust should be enough to keep Robertson's nest egg untouched until he retires, said Rebecca Sorensen, a UBS Financial Services senior vice president for wealth management.

She is part of the financial team helping him.

People have stepped up because Robertson is unselfish and deserving, Sorensen said.

"He wants the majority of the funds he received to be invested in a way that will someday provide an income stream when he retires," she added.

___

 

[InfiniteBento]

Brings tears to my eyes. I'm so glad that guy doesn't have to struggle anymore and was able to move into a better place.

Fuck the people asking him for money tho.

 

[GhostWriter24]

Amazing story. Cant think of anyone who deserves it more than this dude.

 

[jakonovski]

Beyond crazy that he never got a bike, but all the same, someone working that hard deserves a lot of money. Pity it took 15 minutes of fame to get there, as there are a lot of people in similar conditions, equally deserving. And they probably haven't thought to ride a bike either...

 

[vocab]

I wouldn't want to live if that's what I had to do each day.

 

[BladeoftheImmortal]

For me, walking 21 miles is easier than riding 21 miles.

 

[mackattk]

Awesome that he set up retirement for himself instead of squandering all of it in a month.

Coworker of a family friend won 50k in the lottery. He took the ticket down the the lottery HQ. The teller said that he could either pay taxes now, or pay taxes later. He said if I can't have all of it, I don't want any of it. He ended up tearing the ticket in half. Some people are stupid. It is nice that a guy like that isn' t one of them.

 

[TheExodu5]

"Financial experts are donating their services to help Robertson manage his money. The one-bedroom apartment in Troy costs him $800 a month in rent. He had been paying $880 per month for less space in his ex-girlfriend's home in Detroit."

So he broke up with his girlfriend?