Teenager spotted walking 10 MILES in the snow to interview for $7-an-hour job is given work on the spot by restaurant owner - who doubled his pay

A teen's luck appears to have changed after a chance encounter with an Indiana restaurant owner during a 10-mile trek through ice and snow for a minimum wage job interview.



It all started on Friday, when Art Bouvier, the proprietor of Papa Roux, a Cajun restaurant in Indianapolis, was laying rock salt outside the establishment after an ice storm earlier that morning.



He said he was approached by a teen who asked him how far it was to 10th and Sherman.

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Proprietor: Art Bouvier, standing outside his restaurant Papa Roux in Indianapolis, says he was approached by the teen while he was laying down rock salt on Friday after an ice storm

Hard work: Jhaqueil Reagan told Mr Bouvier and his wife that he was going to a Dairy Queen location for a job interview, and didn't have money for bus fare

Mr Bouvier told WLFI-TV : 'And I'm thinking we're at 10th and Post. I said, "Buddy that's probably six, seven miles." I said, "You'd be better off on a bus especially in this weather." He just said, "Okay, thank you." And he kept going.'



Later, as Mr Bouvier was driving with his wife to a coffee shop, he was surprised to find the same person, still walking.

They pulled over, and asked him if he needed a ride.

The teen, Jhaqueil Reagan, obliged, and along the way, he told the couple that he was going to a Dairy Queen location for a job interview, and didn't have money for bus fare.

He said that he had already walked three miles before he reached Papa Roux.

Mr Bouvier told Fox 59 : 'I'm thinking to myself, here’s a kid walking almost 10 miles in the ice and slush and snow for the hope of a job at minimum wage.

In Indiana, the state's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.



Long walk: Jhaqueil was prepared to walk 10 miles in the icy road between his home and the Dairy Queen for the minimum wage job interview

'That's the kind of story your parents used to tell, my parents used to tell, up both ways in the snow.'



Mr Bouvier told him that even if he was offered the Dairy Queen gig, he would double his salary if he came to work for him at Papa Roux instead, TheBlaze reported.

The teen accepted, and was welcomed at the restaurant for his first day on Monday.

'It’s crazy. I don’t even know. It’s really crazy,' Reagan told Fox 59. 'My heart’s just racing right now. I’m just too excited, just excited to start.'

Struck by the 18-year-old's intense ambition, Mr Bouvier posted the teen's story to his Facebook page.

Offer: Mr Bouvier told Jhaqueil that even if he was offered the Dairy Queen gig, he would double his salary if he came to work for him at Papa Roux instead

Later, the status message took on a life of its own, and currently has nearly 15,000 'likes' and has been shared nearly 4,000 times.

Mr Bouvier said that messages of support for Jhaqueil have been coming from all over he world.



The 18-year-old told Fox 59 that his mother died two years ago and he was looking for a job to support his brothers and sisters. He had to drop out of high school and recently got his GED.



Jhaqueil, told WRTV-TV that he's now looking forward to getting an apartment closer to his new workplace, so he doesn't have to walk as far.



In addition, Fox 59 reported that IndyGo, the Indianapolis' public transportation authority , has stepped up and given Jhaqueil a year's supply of bus passes.

New gig: Jhaqueil's first day at Papa Roux was on Monday

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Man walks 10 miles for job interview