Bob CollinsGreg Staffa lost his home to foreclosure. He’s unemployed. He’s taking a turtle back to Kentucky, and he doesn’t want any money to help pay expenses.
“I would rather people donate it to the Humane Society,” he told me this afternoon.
Staffa will take Tucker the Turtle back to Kentucky. A truck driver thought the turtle was injured, so he picked him up and drove him to Minnesota. But the Eastern Box Turtle is not a native species to Minnesota and he needs to go back. Staffa heard about the story and volunteered.
“Right now, whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, a lot of people are struggling and I think a lot of people are looking for a story they can relate to that isn’t about politics, that isn’t about foreclosure, they just need something to make them feel good,” he said. “People who have struggled with foreclosure just need someone to believe in them. It hit home.”
Staffa says he has “a little bit of savings” to pay for the trip. He’ll sleep at a rest stop on the two-day trip. “It’s just a little bit of sacrifice to do something good,” he said.
But, it’s just a turtle.
“There’s a little Tucker in all of us. It’s more than a turtle… it’s a good message to have. Captain Sully Sullenberger had a quote that I absolutely love. He went on to say that people are looking for renewed hope and they want to be reminded of the potential that exists for good, not only in the world but in each of us,” he said.
You can follow Staffa’s trip via his Twitter account – @Staffaroadtrip
