Up until just recently, James Robertson was an average guy from Detroit, Michigan who was doing something on a regular basis that was most definitely anything other than average. What was it? He was walking to and from work, except it wasn’t just any walk. It was approximately a 21-mile walk that he did for almost 10 years, regardless of whatever the elements were outside. But even more impressive was the work ethic he maintained and impeccable attendance he kept throughout it all.
It all began back in 2005, when Robertson’s last vehicle, a Honda, died on him. Given the wage he was earning then, (now $10.55/hour) he realized he wasn’t going to be able to afford the cost of owning another vehicle. Unfortunately public transportation wasn’t necessarily his saving grace either. After repeated cutbacks to the local bus service, the walking portions of his daily hike to and from his factory job in Rochester Hills continued to grow to an eventual 21-mile long trek.
Yet Robertson never wavered through any of it.
He’d even show up to work soaked to the bone on days when it was a wet commute, still on time, and with a positive and upbeat attitude. Now that really says something doesn’t it?
Day in and day out, Robertson did this implausible journey to work for almost 10 years until just recently when his story became national news. Since then, something even more inspirational has transpired. A student from Wayne State University, 19-year old Evan Leedy, used GoFundMe, an Internet crowd-funding site, to raise money to help Robertson, which at the moment of me writing this had already reached an astonishing amount of $140,000. (Update 2/4/2015 – The amount is now over $230,000.)
So it appears Robertson’s days of taking those long arduous 21-mile walking commutes are over now. Yet he has remained humble through it all and even said on a Good Morning American segment he needs to be careful how he acts now because God’s blessings could be taken away at any time. That’s pretty incredible if you ask me.
It’s made me think of my many ego-filled days years ago when I once sat in my own warm vehicle commuting similar distances to work during torrential downpours or intense blizzards complaining about how long it was taking. Thankfully, it’s stories like this that have continued to help smash my ego and show me how others in this world have endured far greater than I ever have.
Thus I’m truly grateful for learning of this inspiring story about James Robertson from Detroit, Michigan. I’m grateful to know how dedicated he was for all those years to getting to work on time regardless of his unfortunate circumstances. I’m grateful there were so many people who came to his aid and offered him their love by donating some money to him. And I’m grateful to see the level of humility he’s been able to maintain through it all.
So James, I want to personally thank you for being such an inspiration to me and for your dedication to God. You are “The 21-Mile Man” who has shown me that even in life’s most frustrating moments, I should keep on going, one step at a time, and smile knowing in the long run that God will always see me through them all…
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson