- Everybody, we're back with Walter Carr,
a really inspiring young man
who walked 20 miles to make
it to his first day of work.
What motivated you to walk
instead of callin' off your first day?
- I had just got laid off my job for UPS.
So I put in job applications,
and nobody would give me a call back.
And I was just like, if somebody
just give me that chance,
I can show 'em who I am.
And the mover company called me and said,
"Hey, you're hired."
And I was so grateful for that.
My car broke down.
My ride bailed on me, and I was like.
I was thinkin', "I can get there.
"I got two legs and two feet.
"I have a way to get there."
So I was supposed to be
there at 7:45 in the morning.
I left at 11:40 p.m. that night.
At 4:00 in the morning, right
before you get on the highway,
I decided to take a two-minute rest.
And at that time, a
Pelham police officer came
to the side and said, "How are you?
"Are you okay?"
I said, "It gonna sound real crazy,
"but I'm actually headin' to work
"on my first day of the job."
- So what happened next?
- His friend that knew of me, in the area,
came picked me up and drove
me the rest of the few miles.
And at 6:30 in the morning,
we arrived at the home,
house, and he went ahead and checked.
And it was okay for me to
come in and be this early.
- So the homeowner, Jenny, is here.
(audience applauds)
Okay, so you're the homeowner.
What'd you think when you opened the door,
and you found out what
had happened to Walter?
- To be honest, my eyes
just filled with tears.
At 6:30 in the morning, to hear
that story, you just
loved him, right away.
I mean, he just, just a fine
young man, you can tell.
And, you know, being a
mom, I knew he was tired.
I said, "Hey, why don't you go on upstairs
"and just take a little rest
before we start the move?
"And that way, you can, you know,
"rest before your team comes."
- Wait a minute; hold it.
You tell this kid to go
upstairs in your house,
in a bedroom, and rest.
- I did because I knew he had to be tired.
And he said, "No ma'am,
I wanna get started
"and help you guys move."
(audience applauds)
So, yeah.
- All right, so let's
get to this part, folks.
Luke Marklin, who happens to be the CEO
of Bellhop Movers, was so impressed
by Walter's determination
that he wanted to personally thank him.
Check it out.
(upbeat band music)
- Got everything he needs to be a Bellhop.
The one piece he's missing is like,
a way to get there.
- It is.
- So this is my car.
(distant traffic)
I'd like it to be your car.
- Seriously?
(audience applauds)
- This whole story is so good.
It's so good on so many levels.
You know, first of all, young people.
To find that type of grit and hustle
in a young person, today.
(audience applauds)
Today.
Jenny was so inspired to help Walter out
that she set up a GoFundMe for him.
The goal was to reach $2,000.
It ended up collecting more than $90,000.
(audience exclaims and applauds)
Walter, what'd you do?
- I gave $25,000 to Birmingham
Education Foundation
that I was in in high school.
(audience applauds)
Their organization gets
high school students
ready to go into college
life and get ready for--
- So you knew about this organization.
- Yes, I was in it in high school.
- Oh, you were in it.
- Yes, so they made me
to be what I am, today.
(audience applauds)
- Really?
You know him?
- Yes, I know him.
- Mr. Carpenter, what would
you like to tell Walter?
- Well, Walter, you've inspired me.
You've inspired thousands of
people, all over the world.
And with your permission,
we wanna use the donation
that you gave us to start
the Walter Carr Award.
(audience applauds)
- I mean, for him to do that in your name.
For this woman to open up her home.
For this guy to give you a car.
It's still a lotta good
people in this country, man.
It's still a lotta good people who care.
(audience applauds)
It just is, man.
It just really does take a village.
You're 20.
- Yeah.
- You ain't see this comin'.
- No sir, I didn't.
And you my biggest idol.
I always idolized you, like my whole life.
(audience applauds)
Every show,
everything you do, I've
always been there, to watch.
- Hey man, don't do this to me, today.
(audience chuckles and applauds)
- It's an honor to be here.
It's an honor to be here,
to see my biggest idol
and be right here with you.
It's a blessin' to me.
I thank God for it.
I really do.
(audience applauds)
(pats armrest)
See, you know man,
what's crazy about this is,
if you're a spiritual person,
you ain't missin' this.
You just gotta see how
it all come together.
You have no idea who God made you to be.
But you gotta hang in there to find out.
You can't give up.
It's at your darkest moments, He show up.
He show up; He be shinin', man.
(audience applauds)
God show up.
See, the color is all out of this story.
This ain't a story about color.
(audience exclaims and applauds)
This is really; this is really the truth
about who we are and
who we supposed to be.
It ain't 'posed to be, "No, oh God,
"he can't come stay in my house.
"Who that little black man at the house?
"Call the police."
The police, we keep hearin' about
how they don't pick us up.
They do pick you up.
(audience applauds)
The police will go get
you somethin' to eat.
Every police ain't shootin' us.
We gotta start; we gotta start
tellin' these stories, man,
because these are stories
that's gotta get out.
Because it inspires other people.
This is so crazy, the way this happenin'.
Who lets somebody they don't know
come in their house and
go upstairs and lay down?
Who gives away a car?
Who puts a scholarship?
You got a scholarship in
your name, doll. (chuckles)
That's crazy.
Do you see that, yes?
(audience applauds)
Well, Walter, you done
messed me up, today.
That's not the only surprise we got.
Your dedication and determination
has really, like I said,
it just inspires all of us to be better.
You have no idea the path you're set on.
You don't know, man.
You can actually be
a poor kid from nothin'.
- Yeah.
- And because of God's Grace and Mercy,
He can put you in places
(audience applauds)
you never, ever thought you'd be.
See, I'm sittin' here.
I'm trippin' 'cause I'm a you.
I was a kid out of the dirt.
And where I am today,
is because of that Grace and Mercy.
(audience exclaims)
It's sorta crazy, man.
I hope you see what's happenin'
and get on this path and stay there
'cause you didn't sent in
this direction for no reason.
You ain't got a scholarship
in your name for no reason.
These people didn't give
you this car for no reason.
This woman didn't open up
her house for no reason.
The police didn't pick you up
and didn't do you like you read about.
They helped you; they fed you.
All of this happened
(claps hands)
for a reason.
You got to stay on that path, man.
- Yes, sir.
- 'Cause of that, we gonna send you
on a five-night getaway
to the True Bay Boutique
Resort in Grenada.
(audience applauds)
Yeah, now, you probably
don't know where that is
'cause I didn't know where
Grenada was 'til I was 44.
So you gonna need a passport.
You gotta a passport?
- No, I--
- You gotta get busy, doll.
See, I know all this.
At 20, I didn't have nothin'.
I'm tellin' ya, this dude is me.
You're gonna experience an
all-inclusive accommodations
in a two-bedroom villa.
(audience applauds)
Yeah, see, you ain't even
got a two-bedroom apartment.
- No.
(audience laughs)
- Yeah, see, all this way
over the top, right now.
(audience applauds)
And then, all of this
airfare is provided by
Grenada Tourism Authority.
Walter, you're an incredible
young brother, man.
And God got somethin' really
great in store for you.
I mean, it already started,
but you're on your path
to some real greatness.
You're gonna change a
lotta people's lives, man.
(audience exclaims and applauds)
- Thank you, thank you so much.
- Love ya, brother.
- I love you, too.
- Yeah, God bless.
Appreciate ya, bro.
(audience applauds)
We'll be right back, everybody.
(lively band music)
