A Publix worker who is “such a joy” to see was hit by a car while leaving his shift in Florida and sustained a traumatic brain injury.
Now, the community is rallying to help Kenneth Burnett recover.
Burnett was crossing a street to get to his bus stop after work on Feb. 6 when he was struck by a minivan, according to a report from the Ocala Police Department.
He was rushed to an intensive care unit with injuries to his brain and other areas of his body. The Arc Marion County , an organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, shared the news of the crash.
“Sadly, Kenneth (who received Supported Employment services as an ARC client) has been in a tragic accident,” the organization wrote in a Feb. 8 Facebook post. “Kenneth is an employee at Publix and lives independently in his apartment. Unfortunately, he has no other source of income.”
The organization is raising money to help Burnett cover his costs of living.
The post was shared nearly a thousand times in four days as the community expressed its fondness for a local figure.