The ‘hat man’ of a Walmart store in Utah was fondly known for how warmly he greeted customers for the last 14 years. A former welder and horseman, Thane Telford captured the hearts of many. Walmart had decided a few weeks ago to let the 84-year-old go, which saddened regulars. Known for the decorative hats his wife Lillian made for him, the ex-employee was left hurt and confused.
“I’ve got a hurt feeling,” said Telford of his dismissal as a Walmart greeter. “But on the other hand, I’ve got so many people who are backing me.” The man kept up smiles and waves while on duty and was never before fired from the job he was doing. This left him “crying and humiliated.”
The regulars were not pleased with how the Walmart greeter was treated
“He’s always so kind and happy,” said friend Tracy Jarvis, a regular to the Walmart in question. “He’s just the sweetest,“ said one mother with family in her car. “I loved going to Walmart just to see which hat.“ Another mom said: “My kids would absolutely look forward to his smile, they loved those hats.”
When reaching out to the store manager, they offered very little resolution for the Walmart greeter
Not much was offered up when asking the store manager about their decision. Even when reaching out by email, a Walmart spokesperson said they are not prepared to comment on personal matters. The ex-employee says that he is more than capable of still doing the job and even told management this, asking them not to let him go.
“I have too many friends,” he said. Walmart has since commented that the ex-employee refused to do certain parts of his job and never fulfilled his daily responsibilities. Telford remains adamant that he was pushed out of his job as a Walmart greeter due to his age. But Walmart’s story differs completely.
It all started 6 months prior when his manager called him in asking him how he would like to retire. He refused, saying that he wasn’t planning on doing so any time soon. Then in February, he pulled him into his office and said “I‘m sorry, we got to fire you.” Telford said that “He told me ‘you’re getting too old and you’re having too many problems.'”
“Mr. Telford was focused on greeting customers but repeatedly refused to perform his daily responsibilities and unfortunately exhibited unacceptable behavior, resulting in his termination,” Walmart spokesman Charles Crowson told Insider. They never elaborated any further on how this happened.
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The 84-year-old not only needs this job for himself
Telford’s wife Lillian is undergoing cancer therapy and he needs the income to assist in paying for her treatment. He was also preparing to pre-pay for his own burial. He mentioned that he might consider returning to Walmart as a greeter if they reconsidered him as an employee. But when the time comes, he wants to be the one to leave on his own terms.
We decided together we needed to get a little more entertainment,” he said. “A little more laughing out of people.“ He said of his and his wife’s decision to how he approached his job every day. Creeping into the hearts of thousands of regulars who frequented the Utah Walmart branch. He brought a smile to their faces and made true friends with their clientele.
Teresa Telford, his daughter spoke out on the matter, challenging Walmart to show proof of their allegations against the greeter. “Not one write-up or any complaints,” she wrote in a text message to Insider. “His job was to be a greeter!” She added: “If they had any performance issues, they should have talked to him about it and documented it.”
A go-fund-me account has since been set up in Telford’s name
Meanwhile, Telford’s story reached thousands in his local community and a go-fund-me has since been set up in his name to assist in raising the money he needs for his wife’s treatment and some sort of pension savings which they never managed to save up until now. Nearly $50,000 has so far been raised for the couple and it’s not slowing down.
Last week, Talford, his friends, family, and supporters held a demonstration outside of the Paysn Walmart, where he was let go. He then mentioned that he is ready to seek out a new job, stating: “I’ve already got four or five people at other companies who have told me ‘come on in, I’ll give you a job in a minute!'”
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Sources
- “An 84-year-old Walmart greeter said he was fired for his age, prompting a $50,000 GoFundMe campaign. Walmart said he refused to do parts of his job and ‘exhibited unacceptable behavior.’ Yahoo. Ben Tobin. February 15, 2023.
- “‘I’ve got a hurt feeling’: 84-year-old Walmart greeter says he was abruptly fired from job.” The National Desk. Brian Mullahy. February 10, 2023.