CLARENCE, N.Y. (WKBW) — This is Gary Carlson’s routine every morning. Every morning, Gary Carlson delivers newspapers while his wife sits in the car, bagging the newspapers while he drops them at doors. They’ve been delivering the Buffalo News for about 17 years. They come to the Rock Oak senior living community in Clarence from Depew.
“They’ve been delivering our paper since I can remember,” said Marie Metzger, a Rock Oak resident.
While on route this week, their car burst into flames leaving nearly nothing left.
“My car caught on fire behind the passenger head light,” Gary Carlson said.
Carlson moved the car away from Metzger’s driveway to protect her garage. The fire grew from behind the passenger head light and engulfed the entire car.
“People told me I shouldn’t have done it, but guess what? If this happened again I would do it again,” Carlson said.
The fire hasn’t stopped them from always going the extra mile. They’re borrowing their son’s car so they do not lose their route.
“I refuse to give a ripped or wrinkled or blotted paper so I go through them every night,” said Christine Carlson.
“They put it between the doors, with the paper standing up so my husband doesn’t have to bend over too far to pick it up,” said Metzger.
“We try to make it easy for them,” said Carlson.
Because Gary and Christine go the extra mile when delivering the paper, the Rock Oak community now wants to go the extra mile for them.
“There’s somebody out there really starting to care for us. Because we have no family,” said Christine.
“We’ve got wonderful people here, and I just thank the good Lord for them,” Carlson said.
The rock oak neighborhood is raising money to help the Carlsons get a new car.
“Because they’re the only delivery people from the Buffalo News we want,” Metzger said.
They’ve set up a Go Fund Me for the couple and are passing out fliers in their neighborhood.
