$190K Raised For Detroit Man Who Walks 21 Miles To Work
By Edward Cardenas
SOUTHFIELD (CBS Detroit) - An online fundraising campaign for a Detroit man who walks 21 miles a day for work has raised more than $190,000.
Evan Leedy started a GoFundMe campaign for James Robertson, who was profiled in a Detroit Free Press article and whose story has gone viral with stories about his daily trek to work by foot posted by a variety of news outlets as far away as Australia.
According to a post by Leedy, his goal was raise $5,000 to get a car for the 56-year-old Robertson.
"But thanks to everyone's generous donations, this is skyrocketed into more than just a car," Leedy wrote. "I want to thank everyone for their continued donations. Every penny will help James in any way that he needs it."
Robertson began making the daily trek to Schain Mold & Engineering in Rochester Hills after his car stopped working in 2005, and bus service was repeatedly cut back, according to reports.
His daily commute begins with an eight-mile walk from his home in Detroit to his job, and 13 miles the other way.
In addition to the online campaign, Robertson has reportedly received offers to drive Robertson for free, while others including a local dealership want to give him a free car.
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