The motor city’s most famous non-motorist.

   I would be surprised if you haven’t heard of the man who walks 21 miles to work and back every day. It’s been all over the news in the last 3 days, Huffington post, ABC, USA Today, CNN, Marketwatch, and so many others are covering this story. This story is making national news because of the fact that in 3 days 281,073.00 was raised by 10,675 donors. It’s a amazing amount of money to flow in in that amount of time. How did this happen? Social Media - OF COURSE! Detroit man walking 21 miles to work for 10 years

   So the original story was in the Detroit free press, but what they did was also post it on their facebook page, and that was where a man by the name of Evan Leedy found it and he was inspired to create a page for James Robertson (the man who was walking all that way) on the website called  gofundme.com The donations are still rolling in... as I am on the website 3 donations in one minute total 90.00!

   So for this story to go viral it had to appeal to the masses. When you read this story it creates a feeling in your heart for this man’s situation. He’s so nonchalant about his situation, humble, and just doing what he has to keep going. I think people appreciate that. As well as, the fact that you see this guy making the effort against all odds. He has been doing this 10 years and no one has noticed, until a story was written and posted on Facebook where we can all see it.

   As people gave they also posted comments, which when reading them, make you feel connected to a larger community of people who believe in the power to transform and bring change, and hey I want to be a part of that, don’t you. It’s pretty inspiring to feel as if you are connected to thousands of others who share in a similar belief, especially people you don’t know but somehow we are together, even if its just in this moment, rallying for this particular cause.

   If you read the article Marketwatch writes about it you see that they believe the reason for the story going viral was because people realize how bad our public transit system is.  This is an example of how companies and media use stories to promote their own purposes, in this case support for a new tax initiative. One simple reason

   So in closing there were just a few people who really made this story the sensation it is today. A banker who had seen Robertson walking day after day in the cold Detroit winter and had gave him a lift a few times and heard his story. He was the one who passed on the info to Detroit Free Press. He also is helping manage all the donations and he got Robertson and Leedy together and got them interviewed on national television and People Magazine. Then there was the 19 year old (Leedy) who saw the story on Facebook and was inspired to make the gofundme.com page.  Thousands of other people saw the story in the free press but it only took one mans initiative to make this a story a true inspiration. 

What are you inspired by? Will you donate, will you support public transportation now, or will you at the very least go to the links I provided and read the story, if you haven't already, and let it warm your heart in the middle of this cold and snowy winter?

 Donate Now!