For 29 years, Sam Samsonov manned a tollbooth on the Gasparilla Island Bridge in southwestern Florida, and he loved it. Now, Sam is unemployed and barred from his tollbooth. Why? He paid someone’s toll out of his own pocket. According to the 77-year-old, this was something he did often when travelers were a few dollars short and he saw nothing wrong with it. Unfortunately his superiors did and they fired him after nearly three decades of dedicated service. However, with Sam’s story making national news and people across America standing behind him in outrage, they may now be regretting their decision.
Beloved Tollbooth Operator Fired For Committing Harmless, Generous Act
He loved his job and the people he saw everyday.
By Sean McdonaldJul 21, 2015
Sean Mcdonald
Sean McDonald is an audience development intern at GOOD. He is undeclared and loving it at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota.