I received this message this morning, and it had me in tears. In loving memory of  Willard Ellingsworth ( Mr. Willard), as well as all of the others who have suffered from a small change in a big company corporate policy, PLEASE continue this crusade to right this wrong.  We need to stand together and help those who have been destroyed by this. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

RIP,  Mr. Willard.

Hi Andrea - I found you via Change.org, where I saw your petition for Bob the Walmart greeter.

I want to let you know my late father, Willard Ellingsworth (also diabled), was fired from Milford, De Walmart after 12 years of loyal service to the company. The reason they fired him? The co-manager said they reviewed a video of my dad “spending too much time talking with customers.” He was fired on his lunch break, without any warning. All appeals to reapply for a position (at any area store) were denied - management wouldn’t even talk to him anymore. I wrote letters to Walmart local and corporate offices, to no avail.

My dad LOVED his job. The customers and his coworkers called him “Mr. Willard.” It wasn’t long after losing his job when dad fell into a deep depression. His already compromised health declined even further. My mother and I tried to cheer him up, but nothing worked. He kept saying “I loved that job. I just don’t know what I did wrong.” He got really sick in spring 2018, and we lost him in May 2018. He was 83 and had worked all his life, insupermarkets and retail.

I find it inexcusable to fire a 12-year employee with no prior infractions - a GREETER - for talking too much.

The point of this missive is to tell you what a difference your crusade for Bob means to me and my family. Thank heavens for people like you who realize true human decency and compassion. My best friend is from Painesville, Ohio, and the next time I visit him, I am going to go to Streetsboro Walmart, look up Bob and give him a hug. Have a wonderful holiday!

Jen Ellingsworth
Milton, DE