In a truly heart-warming yet tragic story, a Facebook group of truck drivers have worked together to provide a dying man with his last wish – one last ride in a semi-truck.
The man who made the request was American war veteran Jim Garhart, an experienced trucker who had worked 50 years behind the wheel before being forced into retirement due to terminal cancer.
Community cooperation
With the help of the Road Warriors Facebook group, which is aimed at experienced truckers working in the US, Jim’s wife Connie was able to find a volunteer to grant the wish.
One of those motivated to answer the call was Gerald Johnson, who goes by the name of ‘Trucker G’ on Facebook. According to Freight Waves, Johnson contacted his employer to see if there was any way a dispatcher could get him a load from Texas to Nebraska, where the dying war veteran resides.
The request was granted, and as a result, Johnson and his wife arrived in Nebraska for Jim’s last ride just 2 days later. They also passed on a charitable check to Connie, who had had to abandon her work in the industry to look after Jim.
Positivity
Derek McClain, digital marketing manager of Driver Solutions, also pitched in to help Jim after seeing Connie’s post in the Road Warriors Facebook Group. He is quoted as saying that those in the group were all motivated to do something positive.
“A lot of times you see these Facebook groups turn into negative places where they’re just bashing other companies. So we’ve tried to do something different.”
Jim Garhart’s final ride was streamed live on Facebook by Gerald Johnson, with the consent of both Jim and Connie. Although Mr Garhart may not be an expert when it comes to the ins and outs of social media, the video shows that he enjoyed hearing the flow of praise that came his way during the broadcast.
Gerald Johnson is reportedly still in touch with Connie Garhart, who said last week that her husband is still “hanging in there” despite the seriousness of his illness.
Photocredit: Nice Peterbilt / Wikimedia Commons (illustrative image)