Close Ad

Man Walks 17 Miles A Day To Provide For His Family, Stranger Surprises Him With $52K
Donte Franklin & Michael Lynn
Uplifting News

Man Walks 17 Miles A Day To Provide For His Family, Stranger Surprises Him With $52K

While driving one day, a man saw someone walking along the highway in scorching heat so he stopped to ask why. It turned out the man was walking over 8 miles to and from work to earn money for his family, so the stranger picked him up and helped fundraise more than $52,000.


He walks 17 miles to work to feed his family

Every day, Donte Franklin sets off to work at a Buffalo Wild Wings to earn money for his family. On the way there, he walks 8.6 miles over more than 2 and a half hours. Then, he starts his shift and when he's finished he has to walk all the way back home.

"I really don’t care if it gets tiring. I just have to keep pushing," he told the Fox News affiliate in Oklahoma. "I walk just to make my family proud."

"I haven’t missed a shift at all," he added.

An encounter with a stranger was a blessing

But one day on Franklin's way to work, a man stopped to see if he needed a lift. The driver, Michael Lynn, had seen Franklin twice while out running an errand and the hard-working walker agreed to the ride.

"I wasn’t expecting it, but really it was a true blessing he gave me a ride," Franklin told Fox.

In the car, the two got to chatting. Franklin revealed that his mother died of Hepatitis C when he was just 16 and things have been rough ever since.

"After she passed away it’s just been hard for me," he said.

Lynn asked if Franklin had money for food. He didn't, so Lynn gave him $20 and dropped the Franklin off at work.

A community came out to support him

Touched by the experience, Lynn decided to post about it on Facebook.

"Friends I gotta share this with you!!! ... I just want to wish him well!! May God bless him and I hope his days get better for him!"

Lynn followed up his post by making a GoFundMe campaign to help Franklin get back on his feet.

With a goal of $2,000 , the fundraiser has since reached over $52,000 and counting.

"I can really help my family with this," Franklin told Fox. "It’s just a really good blessing."

Lynn said he hopes his good deed influences others to help if they can.

"If it can make just one person go help someone else that’s all that matters," said Lynn.

Don't wait to help others

In America, the answer to not having money is often 'get a job.' But that's exactly what Franklin did and yet he's still not able to feed his family.

Clearly, wages need to go up so someone like Franklin isn't in that position, but until that happens it's wonderful to see individuals stepping in to help their neighbors. We could certainly use more of that in this country and in this world.

More uplifting stories:

Hot Stories

Leonardo DiCaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go”
Leo Dicaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go” …

Forced to feel ashamed for her weight and appearance, Kate Winslet struggled with her body image for years. The media loved to tease her for being “the fat girl,” but there was ONE PERSON who saw the real her. What did Leo see in Kate? And what important message does Kate have for young women everywhere?


Keep ReadingShow less
Videos
dave chappelle and wife elaine

Dave Chappelle may be one of the most popular comedians in the world, but to his wife Elaine, he's just Dave.

Chappelle had his big break with his Comedy Central Show Chappelle Show which ran from 2003 to 2005. The show was enormously popular and put Chappelle on the map. Chappelle’s Show was scheduled to have a third season after the success of the first two seasons but that never happened.

Keep ReadingShow less
Celebrities
41 Daughter Quotes That Will Touch and Melt Your Heart
daughter quotes

Having a daughter is undoubtedly a blessing. However, raising a girl with high self-esteem can be quite challenging. Between social media's filtered reality of perfect women and society's shifting expectations, parents face the daunting task of nurturing authentic self-worth in their daughters.

These carefully selected daughter quotes help provide a starting point. They're simple reminders that whatever accomplishments you may have to date, raising a daughter is probably your biggest one.

Keep ReadingShow less
Family