The Wilson Daily Times, N.C.
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) A North Carolina woman’s earnest efforts to make it to work despite a lack of transportation inspired an act of kindness from one local police officer.
The Wilson Daily Times, N.C.
A Nash County sheriff’s deputy went the extra mile for a dedicated Bojangles’ employee who walked from her Rocky Mount home to her job in Nashville each day.
After watching Jaylesya Corbett make the 12.2-mile round-trip trek day-in and day-out, Sgt. Scott Bass shared the woman’s story with Iris Pierce, store manager of Walmart No. 4459 in Nashville. Walmart donated a brand-new women’s bicycle to help ease Corbett’s commute, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
“I wanted to help Jaylesya because she walks 6 miles to work every day regardless of the temperature, rain or shine, stands on her feet during her entire shift and walks six miles under the same conditions back to her home — and that is truly admirable,” Bass said. “I’ve had the opportunity to get to know her and wanted somehow to lessen her burden of that 12-mile walk.”
Corbett lives in the Stone Gate Mobile Home Community in western Rocky Mount and routinely walked to work at Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n’ Biscuits at 101 W. Nashville Drive in Nashville. Bass secured the bicycle donation after crossing paths with her numerous times.
Bass “would often drive her to work so she wouldn’t have to endure the elements during the remaining miles,” Chief Deputy Brandon Medina explained in the release. “He even went as far as communicating to other sheriff’s office employees to stop and help her out should they see her walking to and from her job.”
Bass approached the Walmart store on Monday and Pierce provided a Schwinn Fairhaven women’s cruiser bike for Corbett. The bicycle sells for around $150.
Medina said Corbett was “caught off guard” when deputies stopped her to present the donation, worrying she’d done something wrong. When Bass gave her the bike, Medina said she “became ecstatic to hear the news.”
“I was truly humbled by Sergeant Bass’ efforts when he asked if it was OK to help Jaylesya and to see the happiness and joy he brought to her by his actions,” Medina said. “Great job, Sergeant Bass!”
Employees’ earnest efforts to make it to work despite a lack of transportation have been known to inspire acts of kindness. In July, Alabama college student Walter Carr walked nearly 20 miles after his car broke down before his first day of work at a moving company.
Police in Pelham, Alabama gave him a lift and treated him to breakfast, and after accounts of the young man’s determination went viral on social media, multiple media outlets reported that the CEO of Bellhops, Carr’s new employer, donated his personal sport utility vehicle.
