Hero Teen Trudges 10 Miles In Snow For Job Interview, Gets The Job Plus A Raise
After Jhaqueil Reagan’s mother died two years ago, he found himself forced to leave school and find a job to support his siblings in a household which he was now head the of. He was somehow able to complete his GED, but had difficulty finding a stable job.
Last week, in Indianapolis, Jhaqueil came across a minimum wage position at a thrift store 10 miles away from his home. Being the middle of winter, and not having a dime to his name, the young man could not afford to take the bus and had to trudge through the snow and slush all the way to the interview.
Roughly three miles into his walk, he came across Art Bouvier, the owner of Papa Roux Cajun Cooking who was in the middle of “putting down massive quantities of ice melt” in front of his restaurant.
The 18-year-old then asked Bouvier how much further it was to 10th and Post where the thrift shop was located; Bouvier responded that he still had six or seven miles ahead of him.
“You’re not going to get there anytime soon in this weather,” Bouvier recalls telling him. “You’ll probably need to take a bus.”
The two parted ways and Jhaquiel continued his trip to the thrift store. A little while later, Bouvier was driving down 10th street and noticed Jhaquiel still trudging through the slush.
“I said, well how come you’re not on the bus?” Bouvier told Fox59. “He said, ‘I can’t afford the bus until I get a job.’”
Bouvier then offered the boy a ride and once in the car they started talking. Jhaquiel then explained his situation and the restaurateur could barely believe his ears.
“You hear too many stories about people that want work, but it’s got to be the right work. It’s got to be glamour work; it’s got to be high paying work, a management position,” said Bouvier. “And then here’s a kid who knows there’s work available, and it’s hard to get, and it’s hard to do, but he’ll do it.”
Bouvier right away decided to present the boy with a job offer, all of which was announced on his Facebook page.
“He doesn’t know it yet, but he starts with us on Monday,” Bouvier wrote. “It’s been a while since I’ve met someone so young with a work ethic like that!”
Jhaquiel was later asked how he felt about becoming Facebook famous:
“It’s crazy. I don’t even know. It’s really crazy. My heart’s just racing right now. I’m just too excited, just excited to start.”
On top of all that the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation gave him a year’s worth of bus passes.
Paul Hudson | Elite.
