Thousands of people have donated about a quarter of a million dollars to a 90-year-old US air force veteran who has been financially supporting himself by pushing shopping carts at a grocery store in sweltering Louisiana – and now has the option of retiring if he wants thanks to the strangers’ generosity.
The story centers on Dillon McCormick, who is among a growing number of Americans to extend their working careers well past the average retirement age as the cost of living in the US has soared and most employees’ wages have stagnated over the years, preventing many from being able to save.
I pushed carts at a big box store for a year in my 20’s. Fucking sucked. In an 8 hour shift you could easily walk 20,000+ steps and walk over 10 miles (GPS verified). And you do it no matter the weather. Pouring rain? Out there. Sweltering heat? Out there. -5F and 6" of snow? Out there.
This work can be brutal, even for a young healthy person, let alone a 90 year old vet.
The worst part? I was paid the exact same wage as the cashiers who stayed inside the entire time. About $10/hr on average in 2017.
I had my first minor heart attack pushing carts in the snow for Toys R US at 16. That was a brutal job for $4.75 an hour in 97.