A customer Cameron Nelson went inside her local Chick-Fil-A because the drive through line was so long. When she got inside, she saw one of the employees behind the counter and she decided she had to take a picture of him because she was so amazed by him.
She was impressed that someone, especially in his age group was so diligent that even though he was wearing a neck brace and a sling on his left arm, he was still working. She talked to him and complimented him on his work ethic. Jakeem Tyler told her that he had been in a car accident and that he had to keep working because he needed the money and hoped to be able to feed some of the homeless.
“For anyone to work in those conditions is commendable, but it’s amazing for someone in his generation to have that type of work ethic,” Nelson wrote in his Facebook post.
Nelson spoke to the man and found out that he had been injured in a car accident, but was at work because he needed the money and wanted to feed the homeless for Christmas.
Nelson’s photo took off on social media after he posted it on the Chick-fil-A Facebook page, gaining more than 6,300 shares.
“I’m completely blown away how much this story picked up. I never expected it to go this far,” Nelson said to KTRK.
Nelson also created a GoFundMe page for Tyler that has reached more than $5,400.
Tyler’s parents reached out to Nelson and since then, Chick-fil-A has agreed to donate money to Tyler’s cause as well as others around the country who heard his story and offered to help.