Good News: How One Man’s Work Ethic Inspires a Nation (Mar/Apr 2015)

Ethics Matters

March/April 2015

Since his 1988 Honda Accord broke 10 years ago, James Robertson has walked 21 miles each day to get to and from his job at Schain Mold and Engineering in Detroit.

Averaging just two hours of sleep on Mondays through Fridays, he would leave home at 8 a.m. for his 2-10 p.m. shift, taking the bus as far as he could and walking the difference—his $10.55 hourly wage making it difficult to save for a new vehicle. According to his coworkers, he never complains and has a near perfect attendance record.

News of Robertson’s arduous commute and exceptional work ethic went viral the first week of February, making national news and inspiring countless people to want to help. A Wayne State University student created a GoFundMe page to “Help James Robertson Get a Car” with the goal to raise $5,000. In just four days, $297,560 had been given.

James Robertson is living proof of the fact that, whether you’re a CEO or a factory worker, great work ethic rarely goes unnoticed or unrewarded.

> Read Full March/April 2015 Ethics Matters