Donte Franklin Oklahoma man who walked 17 miles to work gets free bike and $45K in GoFundme donations to help him buy new car thanks to the fundraising efforts of a random ride.
An Oklahoma man who walked 17 miles a day to get to his restaurant job is getting a free bicycle and enough money to buy a car — thanks to a chance lift from a stranger.
Donte Franklin typically walked more than 8 miles each way to get to his job as a cook at the local Buffalo Wild Wings in the city of Moore, according to KOKH-TV.
According to the report, Franklin made a point of leaving three hours before his shift starting so he can make the eight-mile trek in about two-and-a-half hours.
According to Franklin he has yet to miss a single shift nor ever be late, telling KOKH-TV that the ‘job means too much to me.’
On a particularly hot day last week, while making his way to work, Franklin hitched a ride from Michael Lynn, a stranger who took pity on the exhausted pedestrian. The chance encounter would forever change the cook’s life.
‘I think we need to keep each other,’
‘I’m like, man, he’s walking a long way,’ Lynn told KOKH-TV.
Impressed by Franklin’s commitment, Lynn took to Facebook to post about the local cook’s situation — and was able to raise as of Tuesday night, $45K to help him buy a car.
And while he waits to get his license, Franklin has a two-wheeled option — a local bike club pitched in by giving him a free bicycle to make due for now.
‘I wasn’t expecting it, but really it was a true blessing he gave me a ride,’ Franklin said. ‘I can really help my family with this. It’s just a really good blessing.’
Despite his lengthy trek, Franklin has yet to be late for a shift and credits his mom — who died when he was 16 — with instilling that work ethic into him.
As for Lynn, he and Franklin are now fast friends.
‘I think we need to keep each other,’ he told KOKH. ‘I love this guy like my own.’
Not immediately clear is the wages that the cook earns from his employer and what preempted the fast food cook from previously acquiring a bicycle or car to get to work…
