A Different View of Walmart

[Guest Matchguy]

Six years ago the docs took my sister off of blood thinners to permit some dental work, and as a result she had a series of seven strokes in rapid succession. She was 55 years old, and was incapacitated quite badly. As time went by, thanks to the wonderful medical insurance Walmart provided them, she began to rehabilitate herself and got to where she could move about well enough to permit her husband to go to work without needing a caretaker to be present all the time....but she still needed to stay in contact with him via radio for the really tough times.

Her husband had been the maintenance guy at a local super Walmart store for 18 or so years and management gladly allowed him to carry a belt radio and dart home whenever my sis got in over her head and needed some help. They only lived about a mile from the store and the whole shebang usually didn't take over just a few minutes, but he still had unrestricted permission to drop his work and run.

Well, my Sister died in her sleep of a massive stroke early last Sunday morning, and Walmart has given my bro in law all the time he needs to settle her affairs and has volunteered to provide all the food and drinks for a memorial reception for her in their home this Friday.

Don't think I'll call it Wallyworld any more.

Jerry

[Guest Bronker]

Six years ago the docs took my sister off of blood thinners to permit some dental work, and as a result she had a series of seven strokes in rapid succession. She was 55 years old, and was incapacitated quite badly. As time went by, thanks to the wonderful medical insurance Walmart provided them, she began to rehabilitate herself and got to where she could move about well enough to permit her husband to go to work without needing a caretaker to be present all the time....but she still needed to stay in contact with him via radio for the really tough times.

Her husband had been the maintenance guy at a local super Walmart store for 18 or so years and management gladly allowed him to carry a belt radio and dart home whenever my sis got in over her head and needed some help. They only lived about a mile from the store and the whole shebang usually didn't take over just a few minutes, but he still had unrestricted permission to drop his work and run.

Well, my Sister died in her sleep of a massive stroke early last Sunday morning, and Walmart has given my bro in law all the time he needs to settle her affairs and has volunteered to provide all the food and drinks for a memorial reception for her in their home this Friday.

Don't think I'll call it Wallyworld any more.

Jerry

Wow, Jerry.

That's a good story. Certainly an eye-opening perspective we don't always get to hear.

Thanks for sharing that.

[Guest jos2f]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. At the same time, thanks for sharing something good about the "Evil" Wal-mart stores. Most high profile companies wouldn't be so kind

[Guest bkelm18]

From what I have seen, the people who bash WalMart and how they treat their employees have never worked there and don't know anyone who has. They treat their employees just as well as any other company, otherwise they wouldn't be the world's largest employer. Thank you for sharing your story and sorry for your loss.

[Guest Halfpint]

I've typed three different things here; none of them have been enough.

I'm truly sorry for your loss.

[DavidCBaker]

A higher percentage of Wal-Mart employees have health insurance than Starbucks employees.

[Raoul]

I am sorry for your loss. Your brother in law is blessed to have to work for a good manager.

My thoughts are with you.

[rab1961]

I am very sorry for your loss. It is always good to hear something positive in todays world. Most companies today look at their employees as a number and not as a person.

[Guest tnmale46]

Six years ago the docs took my sister off of blood thinners to permit some dental work, and as a result she had a series of seven strokes in rapid succession. She was 55 years old, and was incapacitated quite badly. As time went by, thanks to the wonderful medical insurance Walmart provided them, she began to rehabilitate herself and got to where she could move about well enough to permit her husband to go to work without needing a caretaker to be present all the time....but she still needed to stay in contact with him via radio for the really tough times.

Her husband had been the maintenance guy at a local super Walmart store for 18 or so years and management gladly allowed him to carry a belt radio and dart home whenever my sis got in over her head and needed some help. They only lived about a mile from the store and the whole shebang usually didn't take over just a few minutes, but he still had unrestricted permission to drop his work and run.

Well, my Sister died in her sleep of a massive stroke early last Sunday morning, and Walmart has given my bro in law all the time he needs to settle her affairs and has volunteered to provide all the food and drinks for a memorial reception for her in their home this Friday.

Don't think I'll call it Wallyworld any more.

Jerry

sorry for your loss -- that is great that walmart is doing that

[Mike.357]

Don't think I'll call it Wallyworld any more.

Condolences to you and you family.

FWIW I never thought calling it Wallyworld was a put down.

[Jasongar8]

So sorry about your loss. Its good to finally hear something positive about Wal-Mart every now and then. I think they treated your sister and her husband fairly.

-Jason G

[Punisher84]

Sorry for your loss man. That's very generous of the store to do though.

[Guest SUNTZU]

My condolences. I'm glad to hear Walmart extending a hand to your family. I have a friend who works at Walmart and has been there for years. He said its the best job he's had. I, too, never thought that calling it Wallyworld was a bad thing.

[TripleDigitRide]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss, JP. You and your family will be in our thoughs.

If there is anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask.

[Guest justme]

any words I say could not assuage the grief that you feel--my brothers, uncles and I buried our mother yesterday.

I know that one day I will see her again.

my condolences to you.

[texfrazer]

Jerry, you and your family are in our prayers. Thanks for the positive notes on Walmart. It is always so encouraging to hear a business provide so much support for an employee and their family.

[mcurrier]

Condolences to you and you family.

FWIW I never thought calling it Wallyworld was a put down.

Same here, on both counts.

[Guest gunslinger707]

Jerry,Our concolence's to you and the family.

[Guest JHatmaker]

First and foremost, I am truely sorry to hear of your lose, and will be thinking of you and your family through these tough times.

Regarding Wal-Mart, I think think a lot of people look over the good they do. While I'll always try and support the Mom and Pop's, what some don't realize is that Wal-Mart's not only provide jobs in small towns that need them, they create sort of a mini economic boom by "creating" a retail area in and of itself, which anchor stores and stripmalls being built next to or close to them, to bring in even more jobs to areas that need them. And hearing stuff like this shows that even the giants have compassion.

But back to the heart of the matter, Jerry, we're all thinking of you right now, and as many of us here have said and asked, please let us know if there is ANYthing we can do for you and/or your family right now. God Bless.