North Fulton County

Alpharetta Publix employee learned his co-worker walked to work. So he gave him a car

When Adam Speiler went to trade in his 2004 Toyota Camry Solara, he was told it was worth $1,500. To his co-worker Zerubabbel “Z” Yisrael, however, the car is priceless.

Yisrael had been saving to buy a car, but between paying rent and other bills, his coffer wasn’t filling very quickly. He would call an Uber to take him to and from work — which could cost nearly $25 on a busy Saturday night. When he had no money for an Uber, Yisrael would just walk the nearly 4 miles to Store 556.

“I didn’t really mind walking to work,” Yisrael said. “I come to work an hour early. I was taught to be an hour early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late and to be late is to be fired.”

Speiler and Yisrael worked together at the Alpharetta Publix on Haynes Bridge Road. Although Speiler was the deli manager, he sometimes had to work the late shift and close up the store. That’s how he got to know Yisrael, a team leader in the grocery department.

“He is one of the hardest workers in the store. So it was kinda nice to actually help someone that actually works their butt off and tries to do the best thing for Publix. So I feel he truly earned it.”

Read more on AJC.com about the inspiring story and what the gesture meant to both men.

This article was written by Nancy Clanton, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution