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

Why Jennifer Hudson Forgave Her Mother's Killer -- Life Stories By Goalcast

At the peak of her career, Jennifer Hudson faced a horrific family tragedy. Hudson's mother and brother were brutally attacked in their family home, and her seven-year-old nephew was kidnapped. What followed was a heart-wrenching manhunt to rescue her nephew and seek justice against the man who took her family. Hudson speaks from the heart in this video on what happened to her family and how she was able to move forward.

Celebrities
ideas and thinking

bright ideas

The 21st century has brought great new opportunities for entrepreneurs. The digital revolution has completely changed the way we live -- and the landscape for aspiring CEOs and innovators.

powerful-business-woman

Keep ReadingShow less
Entrepreneurs
Lots of Dollar Bills

Save what you have to double what you make.

Everyone talks about money -- some because they don’t have enough, some wish to make more, and some are simply obsessed with it. It has always been this way, but nowadays, making money seems to be the main goal on everyone’s 'to do' list.

We’ve never had so many options when it comes to products, technology and services, and salesmen constantly try to convince us that we need them all to live a happier and easier life. But do we?

Keep ReadingShow less
Authors