For the last 35 years, Floyd Martin has been delivering mail to Atlanta and during those years he has crept into the hearts of a small Marietta neighborhood. The 61-year-old postal worker has left such an impression that the residents embarked upon a massive fundraising campaign to send him off on a Hawaiian vacation upon hearing of his retirement.
"His presence and smile are such an integral part of our 28 years here," resident Trish Nicolas told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Each day for over two decades Martin has ridden the same route, delivering not just the mail but a healthy dose of kindness and inspiration to the local community. He has made a point to go above and beyond his job description, handing out lollipops to the children, bringing the newspaper to the doors of elderly citizens and even giving out the occasional cat and dog treat. He has done it all with a smile.
When he announced his retirement, the residents were heartbroken.
"I could have left them a long time ago, but I wouldn’t, because I love them," said Martin, according to The Good News Network.
The community decided to throw a massive block party in honor of the retiring postman but after all his efforts they felt it was not enough. So they embarked upon a fundraising campaign to send him off on a well-deserved vacation to Hawaii. While residents set up a GoFundMe campaign, local journalist and Atlanta resident Jennifer Brett was gaining massive attention for her tweets documenting a day in Martin's life.
"Kids on his route love, love, L-O-V-E Mr. Floyd. Little Mae Bullington dressed up as Mr. Floyd on the day her school had career day," one post read.
"Lots of the "mail" Floyd picked up today was hand-delivered," another tweet said.
It was not long before donations from across the nation began to pour in and within a week the campaign passed its original goal, drawing close to $33,000. It also drew the attention of Delta Airlines, which offered to take care of Martin's plane ticket.
A date for the trip has not yet been set but Martin said he was touched and excited about the initiative.
"I’m so filled with joy right now," he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.