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A cashier from Louisiana, United States has been given a car by a local car dealer after her story of walking 6 miles to work circulated online.
Anita Singleton of Slidell works as a Walmart cashier and walks 6 miles to work a few times a week when she cannot get a ride. Singleton was seen walking alone around 5 a.m. of May 20 by Slidell police officer Brad Peck, who asked her where she was headed to.
“I asked her where she was headed to which she replied, ‘work.’ I said, ‘Walmart?’ ‘Yes sir,’ she replied. I said which one, thinking it’s gotta be the neighborhood Walmart, it’s the closest one to where we were. She said Northshore Boulevard. I said, ‘mam, that’s a really long walk, jump in and I’ll give you a ride.’”
As per Peck, he and the 52-year-old Singleton talked the entire ride to the supermarket, such as lessons they learned in life and their faith, and even shared jokes between each other.
“I learned that she is 52 years old and had as much energy as my two year old. ‘I thank God everyday when I put my key in the door,’ she told me. ‘So I have to keep going to work no matter what,’” Peck added. “That spoke volumes to me. She told me when she can’t get a ride she has to do what she has to do. We shook hands and she went into work.”
Singleton’s story made the news after the police department’s post last week went viral and caught the attention of a certain Matt Bower, a local car dealer, as per WWL-TV on May 22.
Bowers, upon hearing about Singleton’s heartwarming story, decided to give her a new car and promised to pay for its insurance, taxes and title. It seemed the least he could do to help out Singleton, who has grandchildren of her own.
“I made the decision that it was the right thing to do on behalf of the community to give Anita Singleton a car – and car insurance and pay for the tax and registration so she can spend more time with her friends and family instead of spending it walking to work each day,” Bowers said in the report.
Singleton was driven to Bowers’ dealership by officer Peck himself and was at a loss when it came to choosing what color of SUV she wanted to get.
“I am so deeply grateful for the good Lord to send officer Peck to pick me up…” Singleton said. “I’m so grateful to Mr. Bowers and his fine organization. I am so grateful for everything that God has graced me.” Cody Cepeda/JB
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