NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The service and hospitality industry has been hit extraordinarily hard during the pandemic.
Quintin Walker knows that struggle well. He got COVID-19 and has been furloughed from his job since then, trying to provide for his 3-year-old daughter and 1-month-old son.
Still, he doesn’t know where they will live on January 1, 2021.
“I’m behind on everything. Literally. Everything,” said Walker.
Rent and bills have piled up. His son who was born prematurely was released from the hospital on Sunday and the child’s mother walked out, leaving Walker with both kids.
"These are my motivations," he said. "Literally. It’s been plenty of times that I didn’t want to be here. I could’ve been gone a long time ago but God decided to let me have them.”
Even in these devastating times and feeling alone, Walker is finding support in a group of people he didn’t know would be there for him. They are not his family by blood but family in the hospitality industry.
“It simply was a post that Quintin himself didn’t ask for help. And he wouldn’t. And it’s still hard to get him to ask for what he needs,” said Devin Deltori, as he described the Facebook post in the Nashville Hospitality Professionals group made by Samantha Johnson. “Samantha who made the post is battling her own battle with cancer. You know her husband been on furlough.”
News4, a sister station in Nashville, was there as Deltori dropped off groceries and other supplies to Walker including a Minnie Mouse doll for his daughter Skyler. He said he understands what the single father is going through as he, faced homelessness during this pandemic.
However, he said one of the lucky ones and was able to get the help that he needed. He said he got unemployment benefits, and that he couldn't sit by and let someone else suffer from a similar situation.
Others have been helping too — complete strangers. While News4 spoke to Walker, two Amazon boxes were delivered to his doorstep with lotion and baby formula.
“They’re making sure my kids got everything they need and that’s the best thing in the world for me. I’m good with just that,” said Walker who also said he’s grateful and thankful. “I thought we weren’t going to have a Christmas this year but they changing it.”
Walker also said he still needs groceries and transportation as his son Malakai has two surgeries he needs to make sure he gets to.
If you’d like to help, you can find more information about the people helping Walker here.
