Mailman’s Retirement Send-Off Goes Viral
A mail carrier’s retirement received a heartwarming send-off from his community, captured in a now-viral video shared by his daughter.
Alexa Buda, daughter of Bill Buda, posted a video on her Instagram this week documenting her dad’s final day as a USPS mail carrier in their neighborhood. The clip, which has garnered over 500,000 views, shows Bill Buda delivering mail on September 21st, his last day, while his family accompanies him.
The video showcases the community’s outpouring of love and appreciation for Bill. Residents stood outside their homes, decorating their porches with balloons and greeting him with drawings and handwritten notes. “People will NEVER forget how you made them feel 🥹🥹🥹 #ohio,” Alexa Buda wrote in the caption.
Bill Buda, 59, told “Good Morning America” that he decided to make a “save the date” card and tape it to his customers’ doors after being repeatedly asked about his retirement plans. He chose Saturday for his final day so he could say goodbye to more people on his route.
However, he was overwhelmed by the community’s response. “When you see all that on Saturday, with everybody, kind of, to me, almost going overboard, you’re like, ‘Man, I guess for 24 and a half years on this route, I really must have done something right to have this.’ So it was fantastic,” he shared.
Bill Buda began his career as a mailman in 1993 and rarely missed work. “I was awarded perfect attendance,” he said. “I think I had a streak of 11 straight years. So, that was … something to hang my hat on.”
He revealed becoming a mailman wasn’t his original plan. After graduating with two college degrees and experiencing layoffs in the early ’90s, he pursued a career in corporate jobs. He also played basketball in college and was set to play professionally overseas before a heart problem intervened.
His father encouraged him to apply for a job at the post office, and during his interview, he discovered that he and the postmaster had a mutual acquaintance. “And two days later, he [said], ‘Do you want to start working on Saturday?'” he recalled. “So [I] came in on that Saturday and never left.”
Bill Buda described his role as more than just delivering mail, highlighting the personal connections he formed with his customers. “The second you get out on the street, [there’s] absolutely nothing better than mingling, I guess, you’d say, with your customers,” he said.
He emphasized that the job’s responsibilities extend beyond mail delivery. “They have no idea that you’re peeking in on your elderly; you’re checking if that garage door should be shut when the kids get off of school, and for some reason, it’s open,” he explained. “[If] the mail [starts] piling up, you better go contact somebody.”
Bill Buda’s upbringing instilled in him the importance of community and caring for neighbors. “If you see somebody that you know, it’s really not that bad of a deal to go up and say, ‘Hi.’ It’s really not that deep,” he said. “I mean, that’s what a neighbor’s supposed to be for, you know?”
In retirement, Bill Buda plans to attend as many sporting events as possible. “Whether it’s college football season, whether it’s the NFL, it does not matter. It’s my turn now. … I’m all set to hit as many stadiums as I can,” he said. “And try to get everybody on schedule, as far as my two daughters and their soon-to-be husbands and my mom, my wife and [I] just can’t wait.”