x
Breaking News
More () »

Strangers buy car for Rockwall man who walked 6 miles a day for work

It's not the preferred mode to get around during a hot Texas summer, but for Justin Korva, walking to work is part of his job.

Justin Korva

It’s not the preferred mode to get around during a hot Texas summer, but for Justin Korva, walking to work is part of his job.

Until a couple weeks ago, when a stranger began a string of good deeds.

“He pulled up and said, ‘Hey, you need a ride?’ I was like, ‘Finally, yes please, let me get a ride,’” Korva told WFAA.

Korva was grateful for the ride to work, and some air conditioning. So just imagine how the recent high school grad felt on Friday.

“I’m at work, I’m clocking out and I’m leaving,” Korva recalled. “And as I’m leaving, I just see all these people -- I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’”

In the group was Andy Mitchell, the man who gave Justin that ride to work. He’s a Rockwall business owner that shared Justin’s commute story online.

And in just a few days, the donations poured in. Enough came in for Korva to own his first car.

“I wouldn’t think something like that would happen to me,” he said.

The two business owners behind the act of generosity said they’d rather stay in the background, but posted the moment to Facebook Live -- perhaps to inspire others to help a hard-working neighbor they may not know yet.

Social media did the rest.

“We saw the live feed yesterday and it almost brought me to tears,” said Crystal Bell.

Over 1.3 million views later, Bell said it’s a moment Rockwall is talking about -- and sharing -- thousands of times over.

“To be so loving and giving in a world today is rare,” she said. “You know it is. It makes my heart feel good.”

“Everywhere I go, loads of people [ask], ‘How's the new car?’ – it's just a blessing,” Korva said.

He watched the moment that changed his life forever for the first time with WFAA’s David Goins.

“[It] just shows how beautiful people are, you know?,” he said. "I felt like I just want to pass that on to everybody because a lot of people need that – to really know like – to keep going.”

He had about $1,000 saved up for a car, but had many long walks to work ahead -- walks he no longer has to take.

“Keep your head up,” Korva said, “cause you never know what's coming up."

Before You Leave, Check This Out