An undated aerial photo of the Matt Bowers Chevrolet car dealership in Slidell, La. (Courtesy of Matt Bowers Chevrolet)

Walmart Employee Offered Free Car After Revealing She Walks 6 Miles to Work Because It’s a Blessing

An American hypermarket worker may never need to walk to work again after receiving a generous offer of a free car on May 22.

Walmart cashier Anita Singleton surprised the nation after revealing she was walking 6 miles to work at the Slidell store, 32 miles northeast of downtown New Orleans in Louisiana.

After learning that the woman had walked such a great distance to work for the past three years, Matt Bowers Chevrolet offered to help Singleton find her way to work by donating her a car including registration and insurance.

“If someone can track this lady down, I will give her something to drive,” dealership owner Matt Bowers said on Twitter.

If someone can track this lady down I will give her something to drive NP. https://t.co/gsfv6lGCy2 — Matt Bowers (@Matthew_Bowers_) May 22, 2019

Her story went viral after Slidell Police Officer Bradley Peck saw Singleton crossing a narrow bridge near Highway 11 while he was on the way back after finishing his shift at 5:30 a.m. local time on May 20.

Peck asked where the woman was going and she told him Walmart on Northshore Boulevard, which was 6 miles away.

“I said Northshore? That’s a long walk ma’am why don’t you jump in. I’ll give you a ride,” the officer told WCNC.

“Just because I don’t have a vehicle is no excuse for me not to show up to work. Having a job is a blessing.” Anita Singleton is a cashier at Walmart. She walks 6 miles to work every day! https://t.co/rfSPWnvH2h #WakeUpCLT pic.twitter.com/I4f5TpDTlX — NBC Charlotte (@wcnc) May 22, 2019

Singleton accepted his kind offer and this spared her feet the long trek to work.

“He brought me all the way to the front door and that was an incredible blessing,” she said.

After the drive together, the pair became good friends.

Peck said, “We talked the entire way about everything from faith to work ethic to how she was raised, how I was raised.

“[I gained] a lot of respect for her.”

Peck was so moved that he sent an email to the local television station and the woman’s story was featured on the news and online the very next day.

When asked why she walked such a great distance to work, Singleton explained she does not own a vehicle and loves her job, which she has performed for three years.

“We share a bit of ourselves with each other and that is a blessing. You cannot put a price tag on that,” she said. “Just because I don’t have a vehicle is no excuse for me not to show up to work.”

Her manager at Walmart revealed many colleagues started offering to give Singleton a ride to work after learning she does not have a car.

Slidell Police confirmed that the dealership ended up donating the car to Singleton.

“Matt Bowers, the owner of a local Chevrolet dealership here in Slidell, saw the story and is surprising Ms. Anita Singleton with a car,” police said in a Facebook post. “Officer Peck will be picking her up from Wal-Mart (where she is currently working) and drive her to the car dealership to pick up her new car. Matt Bowers, Chief Randy Fandal, Officer Brad Peck, and Wal-Mart management will be present at the car dealership to present Ms. Singleton with her new car. This is truly an inspiring story.”

When Singleton arrived at the dealership, she was overwhelmed by the community spirit and struggled to make a choice between white or red sports utility vehicle.

“They’re beautiful, absolutely awesome, I love it,” she said.

Bowers believes donating the car to Singleton was the “right thing to do.”

“I made the decision that it was the right thing to do on behalf of the community to give Anita Singleton a car—and car insurance and pay for the tax and registration,” he told 4WWL. “She can [now] spend more time with her friends and family instead of spending it walking to work each day.”

Slidell Walmart cashier who walked 6 miles to work given new car https://t.co/ZB5gzVgvmP — WWL-TV (@WWLTV) May 22, 2019

I think of this more like the community is giving her a car not me. 1:00 PM at #MattBowersChevy for anyone interested in showing their support. #Slidell #Nola #Payitforward https://t.co/g6GGcSRnaq pic.twitter.com/YdSCG3Rrmp — Matt Bowers (@Matthew_Bowers_) May 22, 2019

Peck said he was very inspired by Singleton’s upbeat attitude and gratitude for her blessings in life.

“If we can all just model our work ethic after Ms. Anita I think our employers and bosses would be happy,” he said.

Singleton thanked everyone for their generosity and promised to spend the time she saves walking with her grandchildren.

“I am so deeply grateful for the Good Lord to send Officer Peck to pick me up the other morning,” she said. “I’m so grateful to Mr. Bowers and his fine organization. I am so grateful for everything that God has graced me.”