Back in the Driver’s Seat

Michael Butler doesn’t shirk his responsibilities.

Butler was working hard as a body tech at Hotard Bus Company, but previous medical bills put a strain on his finances. In December of 2017, Butler sold his vehicle to pay his bills and began making the 10-mile, four-hour, round-trip from his home to Hotard on foot.

“The bills don’t stop just because you don’t have a car,” Butler says. “There was nothing wrong with me. I could walk.”

Butler opted against taking the bus so he could save the $3.00 daily fare, and clocked in at Hotard at 6:30 every morning, arriving early so his co-workers would never suspect he didn’t have a car. He made the trek from December through July, braving the chilly, damp winter and the steamy New Orleans summer. Based on a five-day work week, Butler put approximately 1,400 miles on his Nikes.

Then his mother saw a commercial for HOPE credit union and suggested that Butler inquire about an auto loan. With his low credit score, Butler’s first thought was, “‘I ain’t getting no vehicle through these people.’ But my mother convinced me that HOPE helps people. And they helped me.”

An auto loan from HOPE allowed Butler to trade in his well-worn Nikes for a 2015 Dodge 3500. And while Butler may not be the type to ask for help, he is certainly the type to give it. For Butler, the new truck is more than just a faster way to get to work. It’s a tool for helping others.

Butler has used his workhorse Dodge to tow strangers’ cars out of ditches and transport materials for those in need. When he drove past a man whose car had died on an interstate off-ramp, Butler turned around, pushed the stalled car to a nearby truck stop, and waited with the stranded motorist, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease, until a family member arrived.

“I was overjoyed to get a car loan from HOPE,” Butler says, “I haven’t met too many people that nice. Of course I want to pay it forward. Now I’m happy to be able to help other people who also need a hand.”