Neighborhood celebrates mailman on last day of work before retiring
Bill Buda retired after working as a mailman for over three decades.
A mail carrier received a big send-off from the community for his retirement, a heartwarming moment captured by his daughter in a now-viral video.
Bill Buda’s daughter Alexa Buda shared a video on her Instagram this week, documenting her dad's last day as a USPS mail carrier in their neighborhood.
In the clip, which has accumulated over 500,000 views, Bill Buda can be seen delivering the mail to different houses while his family accompanies him during his final day -- Sept. 21.
The wholesome moment shows the community members come together to celebrate Bill Buda, with some standing outside their front doors and decorating their front porch with balloons as well as greeting him with drawings and sweet 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 after being asked multiple times by the community members about his retirement, he decided to make a "save the date" card, which he taped to his customers' doors. He said he also chose Saturday for his retirement date so he could bid farewell to more people on his route.
But he didn't expect to be met with so much fanfare.
"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 said.
Bill Buda began his career as a mailman in 1993, and he 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."
Bill Buda said becoming a mailman wasn't originally his plan.
He shared that he experienced layoffs in the early '90s while working corporate jobs after graduating with two college degrees. He was also a basketball player in college and was set to play professionally overseas before he encountered a heart problem.
He said his dad encouraged him to apply for the job at the post office, and when he met the postmaster in his office for an interview, he found out they both had known each other.
"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 told "GMA" that although some might think his job looks like "a piece of cake," the actual responsibility is bigger than just delivering mail.
"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."
As for his plan for retirement, Bill Buda said he is looking forward to attending "any sporting event I can."
"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."
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