An 87-year-old man struggling to pay his sick wife’s medical bills sought out a trucking job at a company “desperate for workers” in Ohio recently, securing the job with promises to earn his Commercial Driver’s License.
87-year-old Robert Blocksom lives in Ohio and has been caring for his sick wife for some time, leading to mounting medical bills and no way to pay them, so Blocksom has come up with a solution – inquire about a position at a trucking company “desperate for workers” due to the “trucker shortage,” and acquire his CDL, so that’s just what he did.
“I’ve always liked driving, so I figured that I’d like to be able to make some money driving… That would be the best way to do it,” he said to The Wichita Eagle.
“I believe I can do this pretty well,” he continued.
“And it would be a nice challenge and it’d be fun.”
Blocksom was offered a $50,000 a year trucking position by a “desperate” trucking company back in June and was planning to attend trucking school in September when some Good Samaritans heard of the 87-year-old’s predicament and decided to take matters into their own hands.
Alexandra Tune heard about Blocksom’s plan to come out of retirement in order to pay his wife’s medical bills and says she “felt this overwhelming need and desire to help Bob,” so she started a GoFundMe with a goal of $10,000. Several days later, the campaign had raised $12,000 and the goal was raised to $25,000 with donations still coming in.
Alexandra has since gotten in touch with Blocksom, who says he is overwhelmed by the stranger’s kindness and is happy he will be able to stay out of trucking and remain at home, caring for his wife, reported News 5 Cleveland.
“It’s sure going to help a lot, and we appreciate it,” said Blocksom, who had already sold his house, mobile home, and various other personal belongings in order to pay the mounting medical bills.
“This is the first time something like this has ever happened to me.”
Tune says that re-entering the workforce was a logical solution to Blocksom’s financial issues, but she’s glad she can help him out and keep him from having to leave his wife for extended periods of time.
“I [hoped] he wouldn’t have to do that [trucking], but he [saw] that as a way out,” Blocksom’s wife said in an interview.
“[Being sick,] It’s difficult, sure, but it’s harder on him because he takes care of me and the house. All I can do is make his meals for him!”
Thanks to the kindness of strangers, the nation’s highways won’t have to become home for the oldest rookie driver we’ve ever heard of.
